Only Time Will Tell
by indytiff
Summary: Bella is just one of the guys. Her best friend is Edward and that is all he is. High school brings about some changes to the group and then life starts happening, in a big way. Things change causing their lives to go in unexpected directions.
1. Author's Intro

**Author's Note – Introduction of sorts**

This story is what you could call my baby. I've had this plot in my head for the past year or so just waiting for the perfect time and feeling to write it all down. I'm not sure why that time is now but here it is.

With my first story, I updated rather quickly. Please don't expect a daily update with this one. I'm going to be taking my time with this one to make sure I'm completely satisfied with it.

A little on the story now:

The whole thing will be written from Bella's perspective. I, however, will not totally write off an EPOV (or another different perspective) at some point but it will only be upon a request.

The story is rated mature, but there will not be heavy lemons probably only the occasional innuendo to sex. Also the cussing will be light. I'm only rating it mature so that if somewhere along the way I decide to change my direction I can.

As for a summary – well, Bella is just one of the guys. Her best friend is Edward and that is all he is, or is it? High school brings about some changes to the group and then life starts happening, in a big way. One decision changes everything and the direction they all thought their lives would go. Will everything work out for our "destined couple"?

Please, please, please let me know your thoughts as you read. I can handle critics! I'm a tough cookie, I promise. :-)

**DISCLAIMER**

_**I am not affiliated with Stephenie Meyer. All references to and characters in the**_**Twilight Saga**_** belong to her and only her.**_

_**I will not be putting this disclaimer at the beginning of every chapter. This encompasses everything to follow from this point on.**_


	2. Outsider

**Outsider**

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Today, the last day of eighth grade, is a half day then they're having a picnic and yearbook signing for the whole school. The thought of prolonging this day doesn't appeal to me at all, but here I am with the boys tossing the ball around. This day is undeniably something I have been looking forward to and not because it means I am finally going to high school, but instead that I will get a peaceful three months away from all the people – children – I despise.

School is the bane of my existence. I don't have but three friends to speak of; Edward, Emmett, and Jasper. All great people and I love them, but I am a girl so having only boy friends can be a pain sometimes; most of the time though it fits perfectly with me – the tomboy of the school.

I stick out like a sore thumb in my upper-middle class school in Jacksonville, Florida. I don't have dyed blonde hair, I don't wear makeup, I don't have trendy clothes, and I certainly don't care about any of it. I wear my reddish brown hair long and stick straight. I don't see the point in makeup, with my glasses you can't see my eyes anyways and when I play softball I sweat anything on my face off. I've always been smarter than the majority of the class and that hasn't seemed to help in the "fitting-in" department either. Everyone ignores me _now_, a major improvement from when we first moved to this god forsaken city.

Moving to Jacksonville from Forks, Washington at the beginning of junior high (sixth grade precisely) was not something I wanted. As far as I was concerned it wasn't something I needed either, but I had to go where my mother, Renee, went since my father had lost all custodial claim to me in their divorce three years earlier. Relocating at the age of twelve was devastating anyways and then coming into a school that immediately rejected any outsiders made my switch even harder than it would have been normally. I spent my first year in Jacksonville completely miserable. No friends and because I was treated like the dirt on the bottom of their shoes, I reluctantly stayed away from sports.

My entire sixth grade year is something I would like to forever forget; of course I know it shaped me for the future.

Before beginning seventh grade, I tried everything to talk my mother into letting me switch schools, be home schooled, drop out, anything to keep from going back. Not surprisingly it didn't work so I began my hell again. I remember that day like it happened yesterday…

---

"Hey Isabella…how about you give me all your lunch money." Tyler said as he shoved me in the lunch line.

"How about I don't." I said after collecting myself and rebalancing.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard her." A voice I had never heard before said from behind me. The sound of it froze me.

Tyler looked up, in fact everyone close by looked up. Apparently no one knew this mystery voice. I was the last to turn and find out who this was. My eyes caught sight of a taller than average boy. The stranger had bronze hair that was in total disarray and his green eyes were unbelievably bright. He still had some of his baby fat, but still looked older than the others in our grade. If I had been interested in boys, he probably would have been cute to me. Instead he just looked…different.

I stared in disbelief that someone would actually stand up for me, but he wasn't looking at me; he was staring at Tyler waiting on a rebuttal I imagined. Even if this boy didn't know who I was, and obviously he didn't since he was a new student, I still couldn't wrap my brain around someone standing up for me, protecting me.

"Who do you think you are?" Tyler asked.

"Someone who isn't going to let you pick on her." The mystery boy said.

I couldn't help myself, my mouth dropped open. The boy turned to me then smiled a crooked smile.

_Did this kid seriously just smile at me? Only my family smiles at me. Is he an alien? _

To my surprise though, Tyler didn't say anything, he just walked away. The boy laughed and then proceeded to step in line in front of me.

"Is it ok if I jump in front of you?" He asked me.

"Yes." I said then looked down at my feet. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"Saving my lunch money." I said. He laughed. Laughed? I wasn't intentionally trying to be funny, but ok.

"You're funny."

"Uh ok." I said finally looking up at him. "Who are you?"

"Name's Edward Cullen. Just moved here from Chicago. Your name is Isabella, right?"

"Bella actually. Bella Swan."

"Ok Bella, nice to meet you."

"You too." I said smiling. After we got our food, I headed towards the corner where I typically sat to eat my lunch alone.

"Where are you going?" Edward asked.

"Uh…to eat lunch." I said looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"By yourself?"

"I always do."

"That's not right." He said and I shrugged my shoulders. "Come sit with us."

"I dunno…"

"Oh just come on." He said laughing again so I followed him. He was sitting with two other boys from my grade that I never spoke to. They never spoke to me. They looked at Edward with hideous faces. My stomach knotted and I immediately regretted getting food at all.

"Hey guys, Bella's gonna eat with us today." He said as we sat down.

"Hi." I squeaked out.

"Bella, this is Emmett McCartey and Jasper Hale." Edward introduced us. I nodded.

I knew who they were; I'd gone to school with them for an entire year already. Emmett was the brawny athletic type. Polo shirts and ripped jeans with grass stains; black curly hair and blue eyes. Jasper, another transfer student the same year I came, came from a rough spot in Texas somewhere. His mom moved to get him out of the temptation of gangs. Even in eighth grade, we all considered him one of our best athletes – Emmett being the other. They could play everything; basketball, football, baseball. Jasper's blonde hair was always a mess, looking like he just rolled out of bed and came to school. I hadn't noticed until now, that his eyes were a shade of blue as well. I should have assumed since he had blonde hair.

I sat in silence eating while they started their conversation about sports. I was listening but not joining in. They were discussing the upcoming baseball tryouts and the NFL season.

"I guess they expect Denver to go all the way this year." I said chiming in on their NFL conversation. They all just stared at me. "What?"

"Did you just randomly read that somewhere?" Emmett asked.

"No. I was watching ESPN the other night…" I said but trailed off when I realized their mouths were wide open. This time I laughed.

----

That day is the day I met my three best friends. I've joined in on their pick-up games in football, baseball, and basketball ever since then. Edward's lived across the hall from my mother and me since the day he moved here. Emmett and Jasper both live in big houses around the corner from our apartment complex. We're all different but inseparable.

That day not only got me my friends, but it was the turning point when the rest of our class went from picking on me to just ignoring me. I dealt with this. I was more than happy to ignore them right back.

Also it seemed that with friends, I found confidence and started standing up for myself when someone did get in my face. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've even visited the principal's office once or twice for inflicting pain on someone else.

Edward and I are definitely the closest in the group; we share everything with each other – more than with the other two. Our friendship has always been easy. It's my safe haven – he's my safe haven if I'm being honest.

"Jesus Bell…" Emmett laughed when I launched the baseball at him.

"C'mon Em, you gotta be ready." I laughed. Edward shook his head but didn't laugh.

"What?" I asked looking at him funny.

"Oh it's nothing." He said but in a tone I didn't recognize or like. I walked over to him.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's nothing." He said with an attitude towards me.

"Whoa…yo…"I said laughing then shoved him gently.

"Are you ever gonna act like a damn girl?" He asked me out of the blue. "You're such a boy."

"…uh…" I said trying to come up with something to say to him, but I was speechless. My mind was blank. Emmett and Jasper were just standing there looking at Edward. I glanced at them, looked down at the ground, and then just walked away. Wow – I didn't see that one coming at all. I had to get away from their stares but had nowhere to go since the buses weren't there to pick us up yet. I finally found a spot on the side of the building away from the festivities and sat on the ground to wait.

Edward had never treated me like anything else but his friend, just another one of the guys – no pressure to be anything I'm not. I'm not a girlie girl. I can throw the ball harder and further than any of them, and I have been known to hit them on occasion – nothing hard though. I was used to them picking on me like they would a little sister but this time his words cut through my thick skin like a machete and it bothered me that I let him get to me almost as much as his words themselves.

In the past few months I have started noticing changes in me that I would rather not notice and they're definitely things I can't discuss with my friends. Could Edward have picked up on the fact that I was…_growing up? _Surely not. Even if he could, why should it matter to him? I'm still me after all.

And why do I care if someone thinks I should finally start acting my gender? I should be who I want to be, not what other people want me to be. But the most important question here is why all of a sudden do I care at all what _Edward_ thinks about me and how I look and act? Sitting there thinking through all of this, I was suddenly interrupted with panic. Was he mad at me? Would he sit with me on the bus? Would he talk to me?

I got on our bus first and sat in the place we always sat. The boys got on not too long after I got settled in. Typically he sits with me. He sat two seats in front of me. Em and Jazz looked at me sympathetically but sat with Edward. I put my book bag in the empty place next to me that was usually occupied by a person and stared out the window. I didn't have to look at the people to know they were staring at me. I stood up before the bus came to a complete stop and walked past Edward without looking at him. I could feel him behind me but he stayed wordless all the way to our building. I was not looking at him first. I refused. He needed to apologize….right? Or is he 100% correct? I walked into my door without looking behind me at him. I started questioning what he had said and if…maybe just maybe…he had a point.

"Well hello sweetie." My mom said from the kitchen.

"Hi." I said obviously emotionless – too preoccupied with thoughts to express the anger and confusion in my head.

"Today is supposed to be joyful." She said walking out to the living room at the moment she saw my face she sat down next to me and side hugged me. "What's wrong honey?"

"I'm not really sure, Mom. Edward asked if I was ever going to act like a girl. It's got me all confused. I guess it might be time for me to…"

"Don't change yourself just because your friend…"

"I don't think I am. The more I think about it, the more I think I _should_ ditch my baggy t-shirts and boy jeans for girlie things. Makeup and stuff…contacts. I'm starting high school in three months or so and maybe I do need to grow up." I said realizing Edward was right. He went about it the wrong way, but probably because he's a guy and doesn't know much finesse.

The more I thought about my impending make-over, the bigger my smile got. I was actually getting excited for it. My mom's smile got bigger as well. She _is_ a girlie girl and even though she's never expressed it, I've always known she's been disappointed in my lack of excitement for everything feminine. She was honestly happy about being able to buy me new clothes, get my hair done, and show me the makeup routine, whatever this makeover thing all included. I knew I was looking at a long summer – but a good one, if I still had any friends after today that is.

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**First chapters are always slow...I sometimes wish you could jump right into the nitty gritty but then what would the rest of the story be? :-)**


	3. Changes

**A/N: So this one is a little longer than you'll usually see. It is also a lot sooner of an update than I expected to get in. It might be a slow chapter, as not much happens in it, but it's a filler that is needed since it follows Bella through the makeover and the events directly afterwards. The next chapter will start to form more of the plot and we'll get to see more of an understanding of the characters and how they relate with each other.  
**

**Also, I'd like to take the time now to acknowledge the OVERWHELMING response I got to this story just a few short hours after posting the first chapter. Please keep the support and input coming. You guys rock my socks!!  
**

**Oh and I've discovered reading this in 1/2 format is probably the best. It looks sort of weird with a full screen of text. :-)  
**

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Changes

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One week. I still haven't seen or heard from Edward. I certainly thought he would have at least _tried_ to say hello. I'm not saying I would have said it back without an apology attached to it but that is completely not the point here. Emmett and Jasper have called me. Even asked if I've talked to Edward, but never offered to hang out. I knew they were meeting up with him at the courts and what not for games and that it was probably him keeping them from inviting me, but I kept my mouth shut.

Of course, living across the hall from someone, you're bound to run into them eventually and finally one day, it happened. Edward and I both walked out of our apartments at the same time. I saw him but didn't acknowledge that he was standing there. I wanted my dang apology and since I'm the most stubborn person you'll ever know, I was standing strong. Even though I missed him like crazy.

"Hey." He said.

"Hello." I sighed finally making eye contact with him.

"Bells…can I talk to you?" he asked, nervously, like I would deny him.

"Umm…make it quick, I'm on my way out for a run."

"Oh ok. Well, I'm sorry."

"For what?" I asked trying to hide my grin. Of course I knew what he was apologizing for but I wanted him to actually say it. I'm making him work this one.

"Um…well…for calling you a boy obviously and telling you that you need to start acting like I girl. I didn't mean it, really. Honestly, I didn't. I…well…I…"

"Don't give yourself a heart attack worrying about it. You were right." I said shrugging then started walking away.

"Does that mean you forgive me and that you're no longer mad?"

"Of course I do dork and besides _I_ was never mad at you, just waiting on your apology." I said grinning.

He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips before smirking. I would always let him off too easy. I knew this and he knew it too. In fact I really should probably be giving him more crap and let him sweat a little longer but it was beginning to ruin my summer vacation.

"Ok well then do you mind if I join you on your run today?" He asked. I shook my head then headed down the stairs. We ran in quiet for the full two miles (twice around the complex) before he said something.

"So, I'm leaving for two months tomorrow." He said as we walked back up the stairs.

"What?!" I asked – so my summer was ruined regardless. Fabulous.

_Maybe though, this will work out for the best…with my "change" and everything._

"Well, Em, Jazz, and I are going to football camp and then I'm going to Chicago for a month to see my mom where I will probably spend more time conditioning for football. I really want to make sure I'm ready for football tryouts in August. I don't want to miss the chance to be on the high school team."

Edward's parental situation was odd to say the least. His dad, Carlisle, moved Edward to Jacksonville because of a job opportunity at a local hospital. His mother, Esme, stayed in Chicago to finish up her employment contract. Carlisle and Edward moved into the apartment until Esme could move as well and find their home. It was expected sometime during our high school careers, Esme would join her family. It was no secret that Edward missed his mom so I wasn't all that surprised when he told me he was spending the majority of the summer there.

"Oh…you know you'll make the team regardless." I said not really commenting on anything else. "Boring summer for me." I tacked on with a slight laugh.

"Eh…won't be too bad. Em and Jazz will be back before the end of June so you'll have them and plus I'm sure you'll keep yourself busy with running and what not."

"Yeah, true. I'm sure I'll be able to find something to keep me busy until the boys get back."I was of course thinking solely on the makeover. This definitely proved to work out for the best. The guys were gonna be gone for at least a month so I would be able to do this without their interference and I was really glad actually to be able to keep it from Edward for the whole summer. "So when exactly will you get back?"

"The first week in August. I think it's that Wednesday or something. I'm not totally for sure."

"I see."

"Yeah so I'll keep in touch while I'm gone." He said before shutting his door.

---

The following month went surprisingly fast. Without the boys there I did the only thing I knew to do – I worked out more and "got girly." My mother was off the wall crazy with the girl stuff, but I let her do whatever she wanted, within reason of course.

I received a whole new wardrobe. We're talking skinny jeans, tight, low-cut shirts, the whole nine yards. Although I drew the line at dresses, high heels, and I was refusing to throw out my hoodies and sports related articles. We compromised on the jerseys though. I refused to get rid of them – she made me actually go buy female cut jerseys to replace them all.

I wasn't really sure where the money to do all of this came from, maybe she was saving up for the day, but I would say the wardrobe alone was a good ten thousand since she refused anything but designer. She spent over five hundred at the spa and hair salon. I refused fake nails there; I mean seriously did they honestly think I could play sports with long nails? They trimmed my hair and gave me a layered look to give more volume and also added some light enhancing highlights (whatever they mean by that).

One of the biggest changes I adjusted to but found to thoroughly enjoy, more than anything else, was my contacts. I didn't change my color – I mean I really like my big brown eyes. I was amazed at the difference once I got used to them. It totally changed the whole look of my face.

When it was all said and done, I thought my mother was going to have a panic attack. She watched the change on a daily basis but I think it all finally hit her one day when I walked out of my bedroom wearing a pair of acid washed skinny jeans, a tight Seattle Seahawks jersey, and my hair down framing my face, with a little bit of makeup on.

"Oh…you're so beautiful honey!" She said almost in tears.

I stopped in my tracks and looked down at my outfit. I had just thrown something on not really going for anything special since I hadn't planned on doing anything at all.

"Uh thanks?" I questioned.

"You just don't look like a fourteen year old, that's all dear. You look so much older and more mature."

"Oh…" I said but before I could say anymore, there was a loud booming knock on the door. I raised my eyebrow at my mom and she just shrugged. I shook my head, knowing she knew who it was but had no plans of telling me.

Before I answered, I checked the peep hole.

_OH! I forget it's the end of June!! _

"Hey." I said smiling when I answered the door. They both just stood there, staring for at least a minute before Jasper was able to form semi-coherent thoughts.

"Wh…Isabella? No way…"

"Hey guys." I said again, really trying hard not laugh at their faces.

"What…who are you and where is our Bells?" Emmett asked straight faced and very serious.

"Funny. You know it's still me! I've just changed…a little." I said then winked.

"Ha no shit. But we were wondering if you wanted to go play some ball, although you probably don't wanna get dirty." Jasper said smirking and raising an eyebrow.

"That's crap and you know it. I'll always be up for a game. Besides, really I'm still me…just _girlie._" I said with a mocking tone at the end. That brought them both to tears with laughter.

"Oh man…Eddie's so gonna shit when he sees you." Emmett laughed.

"Eddie? And what's with the potty mouth? Didn't your momma teach you better than that?" I laughed as I threw my hair up into a messy bun and put some shoes on. "Mom going…"

"I know sweetheart. Be back by sundown." She said called as we walked out the door.

"So…not that you care or anything but you know you're really freaking hot, right?" Emmett said looking at me.

"Excuse me?" I asked surprised. I mean, I know I looked better than I had but I certainly wouldn't put myself into the category of hot. It was at that point I finally actually looked at them. "Ha…well you two realize you got all buff at football camp right? Looking pretty good yourselves."

"Um yeah but you're hot." They both said together.

"Uh thanks. I guess."

"I never in a million years would have guessed you were hiding a body like that!" Jasper said looking at me. I looked down at myself and shrugged again.

"It happens when you workout like I do."

"Not just that…damn….you're basically perfect Bella."

"Ok seriously you're gonna have to shut-up. You're freaking embarrassing me." I said blushing bright red.

"First day at school's gonna kick major ass. You can't leave our sides. We have to see everyone's reaction to this!" Emmett said laughing.

"Whatever."

In an effort to prove my point of me still being me, I kicked their butts in basketball. When they seemed to take the beating harder than normal I pestered them about it. I never imagined their response to be based on the fact that it felt more like losing to a girl now than before. I'm not going to lie, it hurt but then I realized who said it and they would never really mean anything by it. What it did do was make me worry about Edward's reaction.

My mom was home from work when we got back the apartment. Her new boyfriend, Phil, was there as well and the boys ended up staying for dinner then hung out awhile after that too.

"So guys, Bella tells me you are going to be going out for football in August." Phil said to Emmett and Jasper

"Yep. Edward too you know."

"I'll keep my eye out. I've heard through the grapevine that you're all pretty good players. Would love to possibly get you on my team…." He said but trailed off when the boys looked at me with questions flashing across their faces.

"I might have told him you're all really good and since he's the varsity new head coach this year, he's redesigning the whole team around tryouts in August. He's giving me a lot of input too. He knows I won't be biased by people I know since I don't really care for anyone besides you three. I'm really stoked! The team's gonna kick major butt this season. I promise." I said but they still had a confused look. It took me only a second to realize. "Oh…I'm team manager." I laughed.

"Oh." They said finally getting the whole picture for the first time.

"Bella's got talent. I didn't want anybody else managing the team. If she could play, I'd probably put her in as a running back." Phil joked.

"I dunno about all that…the boys would squash me!" I said.

"If they could catch you." Jasper said, sounding like he really thought it would be a good idea.

"Or take their eyes off of you long enough to get your running pattern." Emmett joined in.

Phil laughed and my mom rolled her eyes knowing it was the truth. The attention was embarrassing so I was more than relived when Edward called for his typical nightly ritual. I excused myself from the group and answered. The conversation went as normal. He told me what he did in Chicago that day and I told him what I did. Really only about a fifteen minute conversation, but it was still always the highlight of my day.

With the boys back in town, I started working out more and conditioning with them. Phil joined in a lot and quickly discovered I was just as talented in softball as I had led him to believe. And even though he made no bones about how impressed he was, it still surprised me when he showed up one day with the softball coach for the varsity team. Apparently I was able to forego tryouts that next spring if I wanted to join the team. Softball has always been my sport of choice but until then I hadn't really thought about even trying out. I was just so focused on football and what not, but it was very tempting so I agreed to join.

---

"Edward's dad just pulled up behind me." My mom said as she carried in groceries.

I had been on pins and needles all day waiting on Carlisle to show back up with Edward. The boys had vowed they wouldn't tell him of my changes and I hadn't hinted at them either. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. What if he didn't like my new look? What if he thought I was stupid for changing? On top of worrying about that…had he changed? I could tell his voice was deeper over the phone but did anything else change in two months? Having already seen the changes in Jasper and Emmett, I was almost positive Edward would look different too, but I just didn't know how different.

I stared at my mom while I thought through all of that then bolted past her and down the stairs to meet him. I had spent most of the morning trying to decide what to wear and how to wear my hair and if I should put makeup on. I settled on ultra low-rise jeans, a tight pink t-shirt, normal makeup, and my hair just down – so basically the total opposite of what he had seen for the past two years. When I got to the parking lot, I was relieved Edward wasn't looking my direction. This let me catch him off guard without him seeing me first.

"Missed you! Welcome home." I said as I hugged him.

_Hmmm….interesting, he seems a little bit bigger. Not as soft as I remember._

"Haha…thanks Bells. Great to see you." He said returning my hug seeming to almost instantly notice my shirt was tight to my body. "What are you wearing?" He asked as he pulled away from me.

I wasn't ready for him to see me yet but I couldn't stop his movement.

"Umm…well you see Edward…" I said as he took my face in for the first time. He eyes went wide and he raised his eyebrows as he glanced further down my body.

"Holy shit Bella…what…what…?"

His reaction gave me confidence.

"Is this _girlie_ enough?" I said smirking. He grimaced.

"I suppose I deserve that one. Am I the reason you're not you anymore?" He asked and with that I had to laugh.

"Hey Bella." Carlisle said as he walked by us.

"Hey Dr. C." I said smiling. "No you're not the…whole…reason and of course I'm still me – just a little different on the outside. I've surprisingly grown quite fond of this new me." I said grinning.

"I'm sure it commands attention whenever you go out." He said obviously looking at my chest.

While his eyes were not on my face, I took in his changes for the first time. He was still pale as ever but, his face had lost its baby fat roundness leaving his jaw chiseled and defined , his arms were big enough to make his sleeves tight against them, and he definitely had peck definition. He had let his bronze hair grow out a little longer but it still looked like he had just rolled out of bed. His eyes were, somehow, greener than they had been when he left.

_Holy cow! Edward got hot! We're talking…damn! Eh…just a friend. Just. A. Friend._

Luckily I collected my ogling before he could.

"I think Em and Jazz are coming by tonight if you wanna join in the game." I said walking towards our building.

"Speaking of them – I'm gonna kill them for not telling me you changed like this! I know they knew." He laughed. I just smiled. "Yeah I'll join. I'm sure I'll hear them…er…Emmett when they show up so if I'm not already over at your place I'll come by." He said as we got to his door.

"Sounds good. Glad to have you back." I said then walked in my door.

"So…" My mom said.

"He was mostly speechless." I said grinning. Watching him trip on his tongue was so totally worth the pain of all the shopping.

The rest of the boys showed up about two hours later and, not too surprisingly, Edward had already migrated over to my place. We headed out to play some basketball then went back to my apartment for dinner with Renee and Phil. Phil was quickly becoming a staple in my life and I was almost positive he would be for awhile. That was cool with me. I really like Coach.

"Renee…" Phil said to my mom as we ate. "I was thinking we should go to the water park tomorrow."

"That's a good idea." My mom said then looked at me. "You up for it?" She asked me.

"Sure. Can the boys come too?" I asked Phil.

"Of course. I kind of meant all of us anyways...with parental permission."

"They won't care." All three of them said shrugging their shoulders never stopping the motion of shoving their faces full of food.

I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face thinking of the bathing suit my mom got me to wear. I was pretty sure none of the boys had ever seen me in anything other than jeans. Not even shorts.


	4. Slides & Revenge

**A/N: Yeah so another quick update. I'm going to spoil you guys! I really wanted to get this one up here because, well I like it. And since NCIS is premiering tonight I knew I wouldn't get to write any tonight. Yay for lunch breaks!**

**ENJOY!**

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Slides & Revenge

The only thing more annoying than an alarm going off on the weekends is when your mother is that said alarm.

"Rise and shine!" She yelled barging into my room and throwing my curtains open.

"Ugh…"

"Get up silly…it's time to go to the water park with the boys." She sang. I sat straight up in my bed and grinned.

"Oh not excited about today or anything are you." She laughed. "Get your pretty self ready. The boys will be here in about an hour."

I jumped out of bed to get ready. It took me the full hour to get ready.

_God Swan…you're such a chick these days…_._uh…maybe I should wear something over this…_

I thought to myself as I looked in the mirror. The navy blue bikini I had bought over the summer exposed more than I was originally aware of. The only thing that really saved the suit was the fact that they were "boy short" bottoms. The top…eh…well, the halter was cute but made my chest appear bigger than the B cup that I really had.

I stood in front of my mirror staring at myself debating on whether to just take my cover-up (the original plan) or to throw shorts and a tank top over.

"The boys are here. Are you ready yet?!" My mom yelled from the other side of my door.

_Boys…clothes. Definitely wearing shorts and a tank top. Not that it'll matter if I plan on getting in the water at some point. Idiot._ I rolled my eyes at myself.

"Yep." I said as I threw on a white shirt and the shorts that really weren't much longer than the bikini bottom itself. "Ready." I said as I opened the door and walked out to the living room where the three boys and Phil were waiting for me.

As soon as the boys saw me they all kind of went bug eyed and stared at my legs (things they've never seen until this point).

"Good thing you put clothes on over your suit…" Renee chuckled in my ear. I just nodded.

It was a short ride to the park which turned out to be a life saver since the boys were being very obnoxious in the car, Emmett more than the other two. Edward oddly was being quite actually. As soon as Phil stopped the car, the boys took off running towards chairs, dropped their stuff and ran for the water. I slowly walked with Renee and Phil, pretty much laughing at their behavior.

"Come on slow poke!" Edward yelled causing me to look up at them for the first time since they stripped their shirts off. Now, don't get me wrong, I've seen my boys shirtless before now. But for some reason I totally stared at all three of them just standing there waiting on me by the water's edge.

"You okay there." Renee laughed.

"Oh yeah." I said snapping out of it then answered the boys. "Give me a second, Jesus!"

I turned back around to spread my towel out on the chair I was claiming. I took a deep breath before taking off my shirt and shorts. Unfortunately I didn't have to turn around to know that I had an audience.

"It's just not right." My mom said shaking her head in my direction.

"What?" I said shrugging as I folded up my clothes.

"That my fourteen year old daughter looks like that in a bikini." She said gesturing towards me. I just laughed.

"Looks like it hasn't gone unnoticed by anyone." Phil said as he sat down. My face instantly blushed and I turned back around to the boys to see them all staring, mouths wide open. I laughed and headed that way.

_Great…this is so embarrassing. I should have worn a one piece and a big t-shirt. Hmm…though I wonder if I can have some fun. Dang…Edward looks…ugh. Just. Friends._

"Seriously guys…" I said as I got closer to them. They still hadn't really collected their thoughts. None of them looked fifteen (me being the baby of the group), and I was definitely enjoying my view but I obviously controlled myself better they were able to. And it _still _was embarrassing having my _friends _stare at me.

I finally came to stop in front of Edward. I still hadn't gotten a word out of them so needless to say I was caught off guard when my feet were suddenly in the air and Edward's arms were cradling me.

"Oh holy crap…" I yelled as my arms instinctively wrapped around his neck. The boys were laughing. I looked at Edward and instantly narrowed my eyes to glare at him. "Don't you even think about it mister." I said dropping my arms from around him and crossing them across my body, as an act of defiance.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said innocently as he walked to the edge of the water.

"I swear on everything, if you throw me into this water…" I was in the middle of my warning when he effortlessly tossed me in. I had no sooner come back up and got my hair out of my face when they all jumped in and splashed me. "You know what…you all suck ass." I tried to act mad but I couldn't help but laugh at their faces.

"She cussed!" Emmett yelled.

"Oh shove it." I said wiping my face again. "I will get you back." I said to Edward.

"How? It's not like _you_ could throw _me_." He said mockingly, splashing me again. I just scowled because he was right, there was no way I could do that and I now highly doubted I could even dunk him, or beat him at anything for that matter. He had picked me up and tossed me like a rag doll; like I weighed two pounds.

The boys started swimming off towards the slides so I followed while my mind wandered to how much Edward could bench these days. I knew what Jasper and Emmett were up to since I've been working out with them and I knew Edward _looked_ smaller than Emmett but Emmett was only benching one twenty-five right now – unless he's been holding back – and I know for a fact Edward could do more than that.

We did each of the slides numerous times, but my favorite was when we decided to do the slide where you ride in pairs.

"I wanna ride with Bella." Emmett whined.

"No. I'm riding with Bella because I'm not riding with one of you." Edward said crossing his arms like a little kid.

I really could only laugh at the display in front of me. While Emmett and Edward argued back and forth, I gave Jasper a sly nod. He smiled and sat down in the back of the tube. I quickly sat down in front of him and we took off down the slide. As we entered, I heard Edward yell something but I couldn't tell what he said. Jasper and I were laughing our butts off the whole way down the slide and laughed even harder when we saw Edward and Emmett come flying out, looking rather pissed off.

"That was totally shitty of you bro." Emmett said to Jasper as they got out of the splash pool.

"Eh." Jasper shrugged grinning like a fool. Edward just stood there with his arms still crossed.

"Ah…poor baby…"I said putting my hand on his shoulder. "I didn't mean to make you ride with monkey boy over there but I couldn't pass the opportunity up." I laughed. He gave me a slight smile. "Come on…let's go again and this time I'll ride with you."

With that he smiled really big and grabbed my arm taking off towards the stairs.

We had lunch and then afterwards I opted to stay out of the water and catch some sun for a while. I was surreptitiously keeping an eye on the boys and so I noticed all the attention they received from the girls. When a few of them got too close or actually touched them I had to remind myself that they were not my property, to keep myself from approaching. I'd never once been jealous when it came to my boys – it was slightly unsettling. I wasn't sure what to think of this, but the one thing I did know for sure was that with all the attention they were receiving today, high school was going to be interesting. I was going to have to keep my emotions in check for sure so I don't rip someone's head off by accident.

"Hey honey, can you go get me a water before you get back in?" My mom asked after I stood up to go cool off.

"Sure." I said as I grabbed the money she was holding out. She smiled as I turned to walk away. I was on my way back to the chairs when I was stopped by a boy I didn't know.

"Hey, my name's James." He said standing in front of me.

"Hello." I returned without offering him my name. I went to move around him but he quickly moved to block me and stepped closer. I scowled and looked him straight in his eyes.

"Well that's a look. You think you're too good for me?"

"No…well…probably, but more to the point, too young." I said then tried to get around him again.

"You don't act too young."

"Well I am." I said trying again to get around him without success. I sighed. "Please move." I finally said but he stood stubbornly in place. "Move." I demanded.

"Oh aggressive." He said and reached to touch my arm. I flinched back away from his hand.

"Leave me alone." I said, at this point I was beyond trying to be nice and was about to make him move. We were in a very public place so I knew all I would have to do was scream. Of course I think I would have gotten more enjoyment out of kicking him in groin.

"So I saw you earlier with three boys, any of them your boyfriend?" he asked but before I could say anything, Edward was by my side with his arm wound tightly around my waist. Apparently he had been keeping an eye on me as well.

"Yes." Edward answered as Emmett and Jasper also approached. "And I think it's time you leave her alone."

"And what are you gonna do about it kid?" He smirked. I noticed Edward's muscle's tense up and I knew what the next thing would be. I was pretty sure that my three boys could easily take on this jerk but I didn't really wanna get kicked out of the park.

"Is there a problem here?" Phil asked the stranger. The boy took in Coach's face and protective stance over the four of us and shook his head. "That's what I thought." Then the boy left.

"Thanks Coach." I said smiling in relief.

"No problem. I could see Edward getting worked up and I figured it was this or let him hit the jerk, which would not have been a good idea."

"I could have handled it without violence." Edward practically growled but finally relaxing a little. Phil raised an eyebrow but just walked away, with my mom's water. "Damn, I really wanted to hit the asshole." Edward mumbled dropping his arm from my waist. I heard a chorus of agreement from around us.

"Well, thank you for the thought." I smiled. "My _Almost_ Knight in Shining Armor." I mocked. He was not amused.

"Really cute Bella, you probably shouldn't taunt him…" Jasper said but it was too late. Edward had picked me up again and was carrying me over to the water.

"You wouldn't dare..." I said looking at him incredulously. I really didn't think he was that stupid to throw me in twice in one day. He grinned and jumped in with me in his arms. "Edward Anthony Cullen!" I said after we both came back up.

"Yes, Isabella Marie Swan?"

"You're gonna have to get over the fact that you can pick me up and throw me."

_I on the other hand did not have to get over that mesmerizing fact._ I thought to myself trying to hide my smile.

"It's fun." He shrugged as the other two jumped in next to us. "Real nice guys."

The following week, the boys went to the school every day to work out (not that they really needed to). I tagged along but mainly just helped them by spotting them or changing their weights. Emmett had been holding back on the weights and I was very impressed with all of them. I did a little weight training on the request of Edward. He said that he wanted to know, and I quote, "that if an asshole bugs you again, you can kick his ass hard…and I have a feeling it's going to happen."

That Saturday was the football tryouts. Phil was taking me so he offered the boys a ride as well. He honestly seemed anxious to get them out on the field and see what they had to offer his offense. We arrived to the field after most of the other boys. I was excited but nervous as well. This would be my "big reveal" to a majority of the boys in our school, or at least the majority of the boys who made my life hell a couple years ago. As I walked up towards he field with Edward, my mood starting shifting to all excitement. I was ready for this. It would be a form of revenge for me.

"You are absolutely loving this." He laughed. I nodded as we walked on to the field. Emmett and Jasper were ahead of us.

"Hey fellas, glad to see you make it." Mike, a sophomore, said to Emmett and Jasper as they walked onto the field. Emmett stopped to talk but before they could discuss much, Mike saw me. "Who is _that_?" He said eyeing me as I walked with Edward. Emmett laughed. "Is that like a transfer student Edward knows? She's really…"

"It's Bella." he said then just walked away cracking up. Mike was staring at me. I had to laugh as we passed.

"Hey Mike." I said but kept walking.

"Isabella…? Isabella Swan?" he said. I turned around and smiled. Edward was cracking up.

"Good luck." I said to Edward before splitting off from him and walking up to Phil.

"Ok, form lines." Phil said facing the group of about 70 boys. They immediately fell into 7 lines of 10, like they had practiced it. "Alright, thanks for coming. I'm Phil Dwyer, the new head coach of the football and baseball teams here at North Central. We are going to be rebuilding and making this year the best yet. I promise that." he continuing by introducing the coaching staff. "…and you all might know Isabella here, she's going to be team manager. Treat her like one. She's also going to be helping us with cutbacks today." he said then grinned at me and handed me a clip board. I flashed an ominous smile to the waiting players. Some of them opened their eyes wider and others (Edward, Em, and Jazz) laughed in the front row. I glared at them.

As the boys started the tryouts, I walked around and made notes, none of which included personal notes, unless I had something I felt needed be shared. I got to Tyler, who was waiting to do the 20 yard dash, and hesitated with what to write.

"So how are you Bella?" He asked me. I had to decide right then whether to be mature or not.

"Only my friends call me Bella." I said looking at him.

"I suppose I deserve that. Still holding that grudge huh?" he sighed but continued to not at all subtly check me out.

"You treated me like shit Tyler, it's my turn." I said looking at him. "Karma's gotta suck." I said then walked away from him as his turn came up. Yeah I hated him as a person, but he was a good player. I put a check mark by his name as he ran the 20 in a record time. By the end of the day, Coach was pretty decided but wanted to discuss. I gave him my notes and went back over to Edward. I was standing there talking to him about everything but the tryouts when Mike walked up.

"Hey Bella." He said.

"Hey Newton."

"So how was your summer?"

"Good. Yours?" I asked being nice. I had nothing against Mike; he was one that just ignored me. I was even surprised he knew who I was. I knew him, of course, because he was a jock and all the girls…well except for me, swooned over him. He was a year older than us so it had been a year since we had actually gone to school together but I still knew him. And even as I looked at him now, he was _just a boy_. I guess cute, but not like Edward.

_Whoa…gotta stop that. I can _not_ think of my best friend like that. _

"It was alright. Glad to get back to school though." He said smiling. I caught Edward roll his eyes. "I gotta go, but I'll see you Monday at school." And then he took off. Edward looked at me.

"What?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all…Miss Popular." He said then walked away. I shrugged my shoulders and followed.

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**A/N: Guess what the next chapter is!?!?! First day of school! I've never been more excited for the first day of school in my life! :-)**


	5. New Friends

**A/N: Welcome to the first day of high school folks! **

**Thanks to everyone for the awesome reviews. Your response to this story has been so great! Every time I log on, it seems I have a new review…you're making me smile. Especially when peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are promised (they're my favs!). :-)**

**As always, I love to know what you're thinking…about anything…suggestions? Thoughts? Whatever it is you wanna tell me, go for it! I'll even take questions. I'm pretty much an open book, although I will not giveaway hints to what happens in the future of the story. **

**If you haven't guessed, I've already written probably the first eight chapters. I'm just revising and editing some things before I post. This chapter for example was really short and I pretty much jumped right over the first day but I decided to expand on it just a little bit.**

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**New Friends**

First day of school jitters…_great_. Normal freshmen worry about how much the seniors are going to pick on them. _Normal_ freshman try to blend in with their surroundings, i.e. dress like the people they will be spending most of their time with. So why am I standing in front of my mirror looking like I just stepped out of a catalog or worse – _Teen Vogue._

"Mother! Get in here. Now!" I yelled out my bedroom door.

"Oh don't you look just wonderful!" She said as she started inspecting me.

"Tell me why again, I agreed to let you dress me for this day, this very _crucial_ day?" I asked looking from my mother back to the mirror.

"Oh silly…because you knew I would pick something great. Now come on, it's almost time to catch the bus with Edward." She said leaving me in my room, again staring at my reflection. I didn't look bad…in fact I really liked the outfit but it just didn't seem like a "First Day of High School" outfit. I was wearing my favorite pair of acid wash skinny jeans, an off the shoulder violet shirt with a black camisole on under it. And since I had completely refused high heels, I was in black ballet shoes. I had my hair down and curled around my face with subtle makeup.

_Welp…this will surely get me noticed…_

After grabbing a protein bar and bottle of water for breakfast I ran out the door crashing into Edward who was walking across the hall to get me. He instinctively grasped onto my arms to help steady us.

"Sorry!" I said laughing looking at me feet. He didn't respond so I started to look up and as I did I took in his form standing in front of me with his hands still on my arms. He was wearing a pair of jeans, faded just right that weren't too baggy but not too loose either. He had a black button up on with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His hair was perfectly messy and his eyes…his eyes were staring intensely at me.

"Morning." I said smiling.

"Good morning." He said finally smiling. "You ready to do this Miss Popular?"

I rolled my eyes at the use of his new little nickname while nodding my head. Our apartment complex has always been the first stop and as of last year we were always the only two to get on. But this year we were joined by two new people – new people who stared at me and Edward very intently, making me rather nervous.

"Can we help you with something?" I asked one of the girls.

"Oh sorry! I didn't mean to stare at you or anything. It's just you're so pretty and he's very cute. I bet you two are the _It_ couple at our school!" She said very giddy and jumped up and down a little. Her smile was so bright I had to laugh and smile back at her.

"We're not a couple. Just friends. This is Edward and my name's Bella." I said extending my hand to the little one that spoke to us.

"Nice to meet you both. My name is Alice Brandon and this is my sister Rosalie. We just moved here. Are you two freshmen?"

"We are." Edward said. It wasn't until Alice said 'sister' that I actually looked at the other girl standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. She was about my height with striking blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. It was a huge contrast to her sister, who stood much shorter than me with black cropped hair and grey eyes. I must have been darting my eyes between the two of them more noticeably than I thought because Rosalie caught me.

"Yeah, we're not blood related. I'm adopted." She said.

"Oh, I didn't mean…uh…well it is nice to meet both of you, really." I said smiling. She actually smiled back which relaxed me, perfect time as the bus pulled up. Edward and I walked straight to our seats while Alice and Rosalie sat in the two in front of us. The new girls started talking about fashion and things like that so I tuned them out waiting on Jazz and Em to get on.

"Morning fools!" Emmett's loud voice echoed as he stepped on. Jasper walked behind him shaking his head. "Ready for this shit?" He asked looking at me.

"As ready as I'm gonna be." I laughed.

"Oh this won't be bad. I love first days! Oh especially at a new school. You get to make new impressions and…" Alice said but trailed off when she realized she was getting weird looks from Emmett and Jasper. "Oh hi! I'm Alice!" She beamed at them.

"Well aren't you just…tiny. Pixie like!" Emmett laughed again. We all busted up except Alice; she let out a little huff and glared at him with a look so menacing we all shut-up.

"Fight in her! I like it." Jasper said grinning. "Name's Jasper and this idiot is Emmett."

"Guys this is Alice and Rosalie Brandon. Ladies…Jasper Hale and Emmett McCarty." I said finally doing the proper introductions.

"Do you live in the apartment complex then?" Jasper asked.

"Only for a couple of months until the house is done." Rosalie answered. We all nodded in understanding then the boys started talking football, which I sort of listened to. The girls were again talking about fashion, which I completely ignored. I mainly sat in my own little world thinking about what was to come. I didn't know whether to expect acceptance or total disgust. I suppose it didn't really matter if _they_ liked me. My best friends were still here and I found myself secretly hoping Alice and Rosalie would join our little group.

"Do you know which designer we're talking about?" Rosalie asked me bringing me out of my thoughts.

_Part of the group, but probably not going to make our basketball teams even…_

"I'm sorry I wasn't paying any attention. Although I'm sure I don't know who you're talking about anyways. I'm not really into fashion." I said shrugging.

"Huh…you sure look like you are. Very cute today." Alice said waving her hand at me.

"Well anything's an improvement from what she used to wear." Emmett said under his breath, earning a swat from me.

"What?" Alice and Rosalie both asked at the same time raising an eyebrow.

"Bella here's our resident tomboy…or at least until this past summer. She always used to look more like a…sorry buddy, but more of a dude than Edward." Emmett further explained, earning yet another swat from me. He shrugged it off and let Jasper continue.

"See while Edward and Bella are best friends they are total opposites; they really do complement each other well. Bella always wore the baggy jeans and big t-shirts while Eddie over here wore the designer jeans and polo's…like you see today. He's your typical pretty boy quarterback."

"Do not call me Eddie and I am not a pretty boy quarterback." Edward growled. I just laughed because it was so true. I had never really thought about it before now, but I was always the boy in our friendship and he was always the girl. I would spend five minutes getting ready, he would spend thirty. He always showered at least twice a day, sometimes three times. I showered in the morning and after sports. He wore cologne. I never owned perfume until this summer. I was literally laughing myself out of my seat when I felt Edward's glare on me.

"S…sorry Edward. It's just…he's right. Or he _was _right." I said grabbing at my sides because they hurt. Edward still just glared and fumed.

We pretty much sat in silence the rest of the ride to school. When we did finally arrive, I made sure I was the last off the bus. I gave myself a little pep talk before stepping down the stairs. By the time I got the nerve to actually leave the bus all the other students were in the school. My friends were waiting for me though.

"Come on Bella. This is going to be great!" Alice sang as I walked up to the five of them. She latched her right arm in my left one and her left one with Rosalie's right and started walking us to the front door. I stole a glance behind me to see the boys following slowly behind us smiling.

"Go get 'em tiger!" Jasper laughed then winked at me.

"Oh Bella! I'm so glad we met you this morning. We're going to be lifelong friends. I can already tell." Alice said as we reached the front doors and walked in. As soon as we stepped into the hallway, every head turned our direction eliciting a groan from me. At first the whispers where about the _three_ new girls and who they were, but when the boys walked in behind us it seemed to click that it was only two new girls. I started hearing my name mixed in with words like 'changed', 'different', and 'follower.' I ignored all the gossip and stares.

As we approached the office to get our class schedules I thought about telling Alice and Rosalie exactly who they were trying to befriend. I didn't want to lose their quick camaraderie but if they wanted to be poplar in their new school, they needed to know. I also knew I had to do it before the boys showed up to tell me I was full of crap.

"Hey guys…real quick. I feel I need to explain something." I said looking down at my feet. They both stopped and turned to me expectantly. "Uh…well…see, if you guys want to be poplar or whatever then I'm probably not…okay see, about what happened in the hallway when we walked in, I'm not someone people especially like."

"Psh. Bullshit." Rosalie said waving her hand dismissively.

"What Rose here is saying is that, first we don't care about being poplar. We surround ourselves with people who seem natural and real. That's you honey and as far as I can tell from just walking this short distance in the hallway, we've found the only four people in this school like that. Secondly if people don't like you because you play sports or whatever then screw them. Rose and I play sports too and we're damn proud of it. Hold your head high girl!" She said punching the air with her fist.

"Listen to the pixie." Rosalie said straight faced. Alice turned and shot her a glare for the name causing me to laugh with them.

"Thanks guys. Let's get our schedules so I can figure out how bad my day's gonna be." I said opening the door to the office right as the boys showed up.

Somehow we all managed to have our first class, Algebra, together, but then we got split up a little. Math was followed by Spanish for me with Edward, Jasper, and Rosalie. After that it was off to Biology with Jasper and Emmett. Right before lunch was History with Alice and Rosalie. We all had lunch together which was fabulous. My day finished with English with Emmett, Alice, and Rosalie then Gym with everyone again. All in all a pretty good schedule.

My morning passed without too many problems. Of course, as figured, I dealt with whispers and glances but they were all friendly – or at least not threatening. By the time History class was over I was ready for lunch. Alice, Rose, and I walked together to the cafeteria and after grabbing our salads and waters headed back outside to the picnic tables.

Before I knew it, Edward, Jasper, and Emmett were sitting down with us and other football players were pulling another table to join with ours making room for more people. Edward had squeezed between Alice and me on one side of our table with Rose across from Alice and Jasper and Emmett across from Edward and me. At the other table that was pushed with ours was Mike, Ben Chaney, and a few other football players.

I was in a deep conversation with Edward and the boys about some plays to try at football practice that night. Alice and Rosalie were diligently keeping up with our terms when I was rudely interrupted by someone taping on my shoulder. I looked over my left shoulder to see the personification of everything girlie standing next to me; Lauren Mallory, head cheerleader and resident bimbo. Her brightly dyed blonde hair pulled into a messy ponytail and too much eye makeup made me roll my eyes. This action went apparently unnoticed by her or her permanent shadow, Jessica Stanley.

"Hi." She said all bubbly. I nodded, waiting on her reason for interrupting me. "So, like, have you ever, like, considered cheerleading?"

"Nope." I said now even more uninterested in her presence than I was just two seconds earlier – if that was even possible. Everyone at the table was quiet, waiting.

"Wow!" She said then forced herself between me and Edward. I wasn't oblivious to the way her hand slid down his arm or her sly glance in his direction. I instantly narrowed my eyes. I gave a fleeting look back at Jessica and saw she was staring at Edward as well. I wasn't paying any attention to Lauren anymore so when her nasally voice punctured the silence, it startled me slightly.

"O. M. G.! Like you should totally join my squad! That would be like totally awesome!" She said grabbing my hand like we were best friends. I caught a glance of Edward's face before he turned his head away from me. He was clearly holding laughter back. I had exactly a second to figure out how I wanted to handle this situation.

_To be or not to be…nice. Hmmmm…..yeah obvious choice here…_

"Oh…my…God! Like I should totally do that!" I said copying her tone exactly. I watched her face light up and heard everyone at my table chuckle. I paused for dramatic effect before smashing her hopes. "Or not." I added returning to my normal pitch. Her face immediately fell. "I don't have time to run around in short little skirts. I have football, softball, and studying…something you probably don't even know about."

"Bitch." She said standing up. "No wonder nobody likes you." She said. I raised an eyebrow and looked around at my packed table.

"Oh yes _everyone_ absolutely loathes me."

"Whatever." She muttered, flipped her nasty ponytail, and walked away. Jessica gave us all one last stare before scurrying off behind her.

"I hate Barbie dolls…seriously." I said shaking my head then turned back to Edward to pick our conversation up where it had been rudely cut off. He was red in the face from holding his laughter so before I said anything I just motioned my hand to him to let him know it was okay to laugh at my expense. Him and everyone else at the table took advantage of it.

"Although, you know Bella, you would look pretty good in one of those little uniforms." Mike said. I looked over at him and smiled. He smiled back then went back to his conversation.

After lunch, we all headed towards our next class, English for me Emmett, Rosalie, and Alice. Edward and Jasper had History, right next door to our class. Some how we had all paired up, Emmett and Rosalie were walking into our class together. Alice followed them as she broke away from Jasper. Before I could split and go into my class, Edward grabbed at my hand getting my attention. I stopped but before I could fully turn to face him he bent down.

"You know you would look good in one of those uniforms." He whispered in my ear. The tone sounded serious so it threw me for a loop. I took a deep breath before turning to face him. His eyes were mocking what he had just said; gleaming with mischief and laughter.

"Moron." I said laughing then walked into the classroom to take my seat in the back between Rose and Alice with Emmett in front of me.

"Thought you got lost out there for a second." Alice laughed.

"Yeah, Edward's being…well Edward." I said still laughing.

After Gym, we had the first football practice of the year. Alice and Rosalie decided to stay and watch which was fun. I got to meet their mom, Liz, and we briefly discussed a "girls' day" where our moms could meet and us girls could just hang out. I figured this time would involve nail polish and hairspray but I kept my mouth shut. When practice was finished, Phil took Jasper, Emmett, Edward, and I home, thus beginning what I could only guess to be our future pattern for Monday's, Thursday's, and probably even Friday's after the games.


	6. The Jersey

**A/N: PLEASE DON'T HATE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Um...you'll probably want to chew me out...but read all the way and I'll explain something in the bottom notes.**

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**The Jersey**

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The next two weeks passed much in the same fashion as the first day, minus the annoying Barbie Doll interruptions. It seemed to get around school pretty quick that even though I looked the part of "one of them" I still detested everything about them. Our group of six did pretty much everything together. It was nice for a change to have a couple of girls around, although they weren't around as much as the boys. I still spent the majority of my time in the weight room or drawing up plays.

Our first football game was on our second Friday in school and the hype that led up to it was nothing short of…insane. The Pep Rally we held at the end of the day instead of last period introduced all the players and the new coach to the student body. LONGEST hour of my life. I just wanted to get to the game.

The game went as expected and we crushed the opposing team. It was obvious that the season was going to be one for the history books. Everyone was still talking about some of the plays on Monday at school. It didn't take a blind man to see that the boys were the stars of the team, even as freshmen. This wasn't the surprise to me; the surprise came in that they all shied away from it.

"So, Bells, what's the plan for the weekend?" Emmett asked as we all stood against our lockers waiting on the first bell to ring to send us to our classes.

"I dunno know Em. It's only Wednesday." I said shrugging.

"Maybe a movie or something." Edward suggested but before any of us could confirm or deny the idea, Mike walked up to us.

"Hey Mike." Jasper said nodding acknowledging his approach.

"Hey guys…ladies." He smirked then looked directly at me. "Can I talk to you Bella?"

"Sure. What's up?"

"Uh…alone, if that's okay." He said nervously as his eyes darted from me to Edward's face. I looked over at Rose and Alice hoping for help. Alice smiled and gave me slight nod.

"Yeah that's cool." I said then walked away from my group. I looked back at them to see Edward obviously ranting about something. His arms were waving all over the place and he seemed to be directing his words to Alice only. She stood firm against his ranting with her delicate hands on her hips. Even from the distance I was at, I could tell she was winning whatever argument they were having.

"So…" Mike began talking so I turned my head back around to look at him. He was staring at his feet and fiddling with his thumbs. "I was wondering if you wanted to…maybe, if you want to go to a movie with me Saturday."

"Um like a date?" I asked nervous now myself. I don't know what to think about this. I mean I like Mike, I guess he's cute. Like I've said before he's no Edward, but obviously Edward didn't like me as any more than a friend. He'll always only see me as that. Mike's nice and he does pay attention to me. He's never been mean to me, even when I looked _different_.

"Yeah I guess you could call it a date. I'm gonna pay for everything so yeah…." He said still looking at his feet. His face was bright red and I had to smile because I always thought Mike was very self assured with himself and he was apparently scared I was going to turn him down.

_Are you going to turn him down?_

I quickly weighed the pros and cons. What would I really be losing if I did go out to the movie with Mike?

_It's only a movie_. I thought again to myself.

"Ok." I said shrugging. He quickly looked up at me grinning like a fool. I just laughed.

"Really? Sweet! I'll…um…I'll see ya around Bella." He said then walked away from me as the bell rang. I turned the other direction and ran to catch up with everyone. I finally reached them as we got to the door at our class.

"What was that about?" Jasper asked.

"Mike asked me to hang out on Saturday." I said. Alice screeched and started jumping up and down, Rose laughed at her sister's reaction, Jasper and Emmett didn't do anything except look at Edward who looked at everything but me.

"We'll have to start picking out your outfit tonight!" Alice finally said as she still jumped up and down.

By Friday, it had gotten around that I was going out with Mike on Saturday. I felt like I was on display for everyone to see. I was discussing the upcoming game with Jasper and Emmett waiting on Edward to show up when Mike approached me again, being the very perceptive person that I am, I instantly noticed he was carrying his extra football jersey. Now, everyone who has ever been in high school knows that the players wear their jerseys on game day and they ask someone else to wear their other jersey. He didn't even have to ask me and in fact he didn't. He just held it out in front of me smiling. I smiled back and took it from him. After I took it from him he just walked away. I threw it on over my shirt waiting for the peanut gallery to put in their two cents.

"You keep this up and you'll have yourself a boyfriend soon." Jasper laughed.

"Whatever." I waved at them as I walked away. Edward was late and didn't show up until after our first class. I was walking with Alice on my way to Spanish when Edward walked passed us.

"Snagged yourself the star wide-receiver I see." He said as he passed never slowing or looking at me. I looked over at Alice and she just raised an eyebrow at me but didn't say anything.

It was apparent during the game that night that Edward was not in a good mood, but it only would have matter if we lost – which we did not. After we won, the six of us met up at Jasper's house for pizza. As we all hung out, whatever was bothering Edward all day seemed to disappear as his mood lightened minute by minute.

Alice and Rose showed up at my door step four hours before Mike was due to pick me up on Saturday. I thought it was stupid and fought the whole time and when I refused a dress, I thought Alice was going to burst the vein in her forehead. Luckily, Rose came to my aid with that one and convinced Alice to let me wear jeans. I wasn't nervous about going to the movies with Mike until Rose walked out with Alice and in parting said,

"Let us know how the first kiss is!"

_Oh crap…uh…kiss? Is that what is supposed to happen? He did say this was a date but…I don't know what to do? How will I know if he wants to? If he doesn't, does that mean he hates me…_

I was brought out of my panic attack when he knocked on my door. He led me down to where his mom was waiting (neither of us were old enough to drive yet), and actually held the car door for me. In fact, he was very polite all evening. The conversation was good and it was never awkward but I wasn't sure how to really feel about it.

"I had fun tonight." Mike said as he walked me up to my door.

"Yeah it was fun."

"I've been thinking…do you want to go to the Homecoming dance with me? I know its like three weeks away but…" he asked and again his feet seemed to be the most important things in the world.

_Dance…dress…ugh…_

"I don't know…I'm not big on dances. I have to get all dressed up and…"

"Oh you can wear jeans, I don't care." He said smiling. The excitement in his eyes was unmistakable. He really wanted me to say 'yes.'

"Um…okay." I finally agreed.

"Awesome." He said looking up then paused before dropping his head again. "And…would you like to wear my jersey every Friday?"

This was his way of asking me to go steady with him. I really wasn't sold on the idea of Mike and me, but the person I can't get off my mind, the person I see in my dreams, is just a friend. I know this and I know I need to get over this crush before it gets out of hand. I can't have a crush on my best friend and expect everything to work out for the best. I've seen the movies – it never works out the way you want it to.

_But is Mike who I want to spend time with? Eh…I guess he could always grow on me._

"Ok." I finally said. His head snapped up quicker than the last time.

"Great! Well…have a good night Bella." He added then leaned in and swiftly kissed my cheek before taking off down the stairs.

As soon as I walked in, I was hit with the questions from my mom. She drilled me for a good half hour.

"Oh and Alice has called about every hour on the hour waiting…" she said as the phone rang. "I'm sure that's her."

I laughed as I picked up the phone.

"Yes Alice?"

"_Oh my god Bella! So how did it go!? I've been so nervous for you! You've got to tell me…"_

"_Calm yourself pixie." _

A second voice I wasn't expecting chimed in.

"Rose?"

"_Yeah Bella – two receivers…Alice insisted."_

"_OH hush! Sooooooo……"_

"Well, I have a date for the homecoming dance and apparently an outfit for every Friday until the season is over."

"_AHHHHHHH!" _They both screamed.

"_Bella this is terrific! You're first boyfriend."_ – Rose.

"Thanks Rose. I guess it's cool." I said shrugging. The other end of the phone was quiet. "Hello?"

"_What do you mean, you guess?" _Alice very quietly asked.

"Um well…he's nice and I guess he's cute but I dunno guys…"

"_You shouldn't settle Bella."_

"I know Alice. Rose?"

"_Alice is right."_

"We'll see what happens. Gotta go. Talk to you guys on Monday at school."

I went to bed thinking of nothing but Mike and willing myself to like him enough to get past my crush on Edward. I woke up to my cell phone ringing.

"Hey! Rise and shine!" he said when I answered my phone.

"Eh."

"You are so not a morning person."

"Edward, it's Sunday and it's….it's Jesus, it's only nine in the morning. What do you want?"

"Wanna go for a run?"

I quickly agreed to that. I need to think and running always helped me think. But after meeting him in the hallway to find him shirtless, I knew I wasn't going to get any thinking done. We ran our typical twice around the complex before calling it quits. We made plans for him to come over to watch the football games with Jasper and Emmett then parted.

Just our typical Sundays.

"Can you guys believe the crap their doing for homecoming? It's not even for a month and they're already going crazy." Jasper said.

"No kidding. They're making this dance thing like another prom." Emmett added.

"Thank God none of us are going. Boycott the Homecoming! It's just ridiculous." Edward said. He's lucky that as the starting quarterback and star of the team they weren't making him go.

"No shit." The other two said in agreement. I had stayed silent the whole time. I didn't want to tell them I was going with Mike. It was stupid since I was pretty sure they would find out on Monday but I childishly wanted to put it off until the last minute.

I forgot one little detail. The boys can read me like an open book.

"You're going with Mike aren't you?" Jasper guessed.

"…yeah. He asked me last night." I said timidly and ignorantly hoped they'd leave it at that.

"What else happened last night?" Edward asked staring at me. I didn't want to answer. I didn't have to answer him. "Isabella Marie…you're hiding something."

Whoa – the middle name and everything and not with a smile. By his tone, I could tell he pretty much already knew what I was going to say. I couldn't imagine why he would be mad that I was dating Mike…well, ok I _could_ imagine the reason behind it but it was dangerous to let my mind wander that direction.

"He asked me to wear his jersey every Friday." I said directly to Edward only. He didn't say a word. His facial expression didn't even change. He was livid.

"Ooohhhh….Bella's got a boyfriend." Emmett howled.

"Bella and Mike sittin' in a tree…" Jasper sang.

"Shut-up you two." I finally tore my gaze away from Edward and threw a pillow at Jasper.

Edward left my apartment that night still never commenting on the news that I broke to him. It had me worried. His silence was nerve-racking. I hated not knowing what he was thinking.

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**A/N: Ok, so I know how much everyone probably hates me right now, but hear me out. This has to happen for everything to work out. And because I love you all so much, I've worked my ass off to get the next chapters out. You will be getting at least two more tonight. That's right, tonight. I don't like the idea of Mike and Bella anymore than you do so their time spent together will be short and not detailed. Eww, can you even imagine writing details like that?! Anyways - please just have faith in me! Would I lead you wrong? NOPE!**


	7. Lines

**A/N: Here's the next one...moving right along. I already have the next written up as well, just need to proof it and then it'll be good to go.**

**And even though I'm 100% sure you'll not have good reviews for me, please still post your feelings. :-)**

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**Lines**

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Tension in our group was at an all time high and it was solely related to Edward and me. We were hardly speaking and it was messing with everyone. When we did speak it was in short bursts and usually brought on by someone else. I was losing sleep over it but I wasn't letting anyone know that little bit of information. If they knew then I would have to explain things and I was _not_ going to explain why I wasn't sleeping.

The week of Homecoming was off the wall. We had crazy things each day and a huge pep rally on Friday for the game. Our team was going into the one still undefeated and we ended it in the same way.

As anyone could have predicted Alice and Rose come over Saturday to get me ready for the dance, which they were also attending but getting ready at their own home. I made them promise not to overdo it since it was just a crazy school dance and they listened. They finally agreed on a simple A-line dark blue spaghetti strapped number. I won the shoe battle again and got to wear my ballet slippers.

I was nervous, but not for typical reasons, just because I had no idea what to expect. The unexpected is scary. When Mike picked me up, I wasn't surprised to see him in nicer jeans and a button up. I couldn't help but compare his appearance to Edward's in the same type of outfit. There really was no competition.

As soon as we walked into the gym at school, all I could do was laugh and not because of the cheesy decorations but because the first person I saw was Emmett.

"What's funny?" Mike asked as he draped his arm over my shoulders.

"Oh Emmett's here which means Jasper and Edward are also here." I said right as the other two walked into my line of sight. Alice and Rose danced over to them not two seconds later and they all made eye contact with me. The girls smiled, the boys did nothing.

After an hour of them ignoring me, I got sick of it. I told Mike I was going to say hello to them and that I would be back in a second. He didn't ever hear me because he was so engrossed with a sports conversation so I just walked away.

"Thought you weren't coming?" I said shaking my head at them.

"Nothing else to do." Emmett said.

"We were dragged here…." Jasper said staring at the girls who were dancing.

"Under major protest." Edward mumbled but didn't look at me. I stood there for a few more minutes talking to Jasper mainly before I went to find Mike. We danced a little bit but he was more interested in socializing and kept migrating to the edge of the floor. I got bored so I went to find Alice and Rose. I found them with the boys, trying to get them to dance.

"Oh come on!" Rose pleaded. The all stood firm shaking their heads no. As soon as I got up there my favorite song came on. I refused not to dance.

"Grab a hand and wait for my signal." I mumbled to the girls as I walked up. Alice grabbed Jasper's and Rose took Emmett's. I smirked and took Edward's. He raised an eyebrow at me but didn't try to break our contact.

"You three are dancing with us or I'm going to make sure I inflict as much pain as possible at the next practice." I said then tugged on Edward's hand. He grunted but followed. Alice and Rose did the same and then we were on the dance floor laughing and having fun.

"You're pretty good at this." Edward said in my ear.

"Ditto." I said smiling, glad that for the moment it seemed I had _my_ Edward back. While we were dancing it felt like us again. No stress just friendship. It made me realize how much I truly did miss him.

After a few fast paced songs, a slow song came on. I saw Jazz and Em lead the other two off the floor and I went to follow.

"Um…do you wanna?" He asked as he took my hand in hold.

"Ok." I agreed then we started slow dancing. Before I knew it, I had my head lying on his shoulder and he was just holding me there. My mind was racing with thousands of thoughts and questions. I looked up at his eyes to ask him what was wrong between us, but I stopped when I saw the sadness in his eyes.

"You should probably go find your boyfriend." He said looking at me then walked away. I just stood there. My head was spinning, I was sick to my stomach, and couldn't focus on a single thing except that Edward walked away from me.

"I want to go home." I said to Mike once I found him.

"Well I don't."

"Fine." I said then walked over to Alice and Rose. "Can you guys call your mom? I need to go home and my date doesn't want to leave."

They immediately obliged and then we had a girls' night at my apartment. I knew I had to let them on what was wrong, so I edited. I told them that I _thought_ I was developing feelings for Edward and that I just realized it tonight. They sympathized but really couldn't give me advice. I was just happy to some have some besides my mom to talk to. This whole having girl friends thing is turning out a whole lot better than I ever thought it would.

Edward had stayed with Emmett Sunday night and Emmett's dad took them and Jasper to school on Monday. Us girls rode the bus and got to school well after the boys. When we walked around the corner to get to our class I saw Edward talking to Mike. My curiosity wanted to interrupt but they looked like they were both fired up about whatever they were talking about so I just let it go and headed towards Math.

In class Edward didn't offer up the subject of their discussion so I didn't ask, but he was talking to me. Talking like he always used to. Our friends visibly relaxed as whatever anxiety was there slowly started to ease away.

At lunch I met up with Mike before getting in line. I was curious about the discussion and I knew Mike would tell me.

"That asshole threatened me." He spat, obviously still mad about the whole thing.

"Excuse me?" I said more in response to him calling Edward and asshole than the whole threat thing. I couldn't really be surprised about the threat; I fully expected it to happen before now actually.

"He said if I hurt you in any way he'd kick my ass." He practically yelled but I just laughed. Edward could kick his ass, and I was positive he would try. "You think that's funny?"

"No, I'm just not surprised. He's just watching out for me – like he always does." I shrugged.

"Well I'm pissed. And his tone – his tone made it seem like he _knows_ I'm going to hurt you. He said he'll be watching me."

I had to laugh really hard at that corny line. Who did Edward think he was, the mob? Seriously.

"Okay, okay, I'll say something to him tonight about it." I said, kissed his cheek, and walked towards our lunch table still laughing.

As promised, after dinner I headed over to Edward's. I felt totally stupid doing it but I told Mike I would talk to Edward about it. I knew no matter what I said he would still keep the threat in tact so I wasn't even going to try to convince him to back off of Mike.

"Oh glad you came over. The guys and I have drawn up some new plays that we want you to take a look at." He said as he handed me some papers.

"Sure." I said as I snatched them and plopped down on the couch. "I also wanna discuss something with you."

"Is everything okay?" He almost scared as he sat down next to me.

"Oh yeah everything's perfect." I laughed then turned my full attention on the plays. "These are really good. You should definitely let Coach see these on Thursday."

"Rock on. So what's up with you?"

"Yeah…so…Mike told me you threatened him this morning." I said trying to hold the smile back.

"Well yeah. I told him that if he hurts you, I'll hurt him. You're not mad are you? I mean I'm just…"

"Oh not at all. I guess your tone really is what set him off. Something about you making it sound like you already know he's going to hurt me."

"Probably because that's how I feel, but I wasn't intentionally trying to get that feeling across. Glad I did though." He chuckled evilly.

"Dork." I said then paused. "Well – I'm trusting him and I would appreciate it if my best friend would _try_ to as well. Not saying you have to be friends with him, but…"

"Yeah yeah. I'll try. But I'm still watching him."

"That's fine, whatever helps you sleep at night. But you also know I can take care of myself."

"I know it's just that…"

"You're my Knight in Shining Armor." I said then winked and stood up. "See you tomorrow. Bye babe." I said as I hugged him then kissed his cheek. When my lips touched his skin it left a burning sensation on them. I had never done that to him before and it apparently caught him off guard as much as it did me, I just had enough sense left to walk across the hall. When I turned to close my door he was still standing with his wide open. Staring at me.

After that, things seemed to level out with all of us. It seemed like I was able to spend as much time with Mike as I did the rest of my friends, but of course if they could all stand to be in the same room as each other it would help. Even Rose and Alice had started to act differently towards Mike and for no apparent reason. Every time I said something to them they both just waved the idea away telling me I was crazy.

The football season was fantastic. We were undefeated for the whole regular season and then made it to the State Championship. The first time in twenty years the school made it that far. It was a fight to the end but in the end we lost. The whole team was devastated but Edward seemed to take it the worse. Before he made it off the field I ran to him and just hugged him.

"We've got next year babe."

"It's not the point." He said pulling away from the hug.

"I understand." I said knowing how bad he wanted to win his freshman year. We just stood there looking at each other for a few more minutes before he opened his mouth to say something.

"Shouldn't you be with your boyfriend?" he finally said and with an attitude I hadn't expected to hear.

"I…I suppose." I said feeling utterly broken inside. I didn't want to be with Mike at this point. I wanted to stay where I was with Edward. I wanted to shout at him and tell him that but instead I just turned on my heals and walked away finding Mike on the bench.

"He ok?" he asked as I approached. His words were right but his expression and tone were off. Not of concern at all, but of hate.

"Yeah." I said ignoring his tone then kissed him. "How you holding up?"

"We've got next year." He smiled then headed off for the showers.

Yeah…next year. Hell, I can't even think that far. I'm worried about tomorrow.

As soon as football wrapped up I threw myself into getting ready for softball. Alice and Rose joined me and together the three of us ran the varsity team. We were walk-ons in February, me as shortstop, Rosalie as first base, and Alice our deceptively tiny pitcher. She's our secret weapon. During the practice season, before the games, my time was highly consumed and I barely had time for anyone besides Alice and Rose. Em, Jazz, and Edward often came by to watch the practices and we made sure our workout schedules matched so I could still hang out with them, but I barely saw Mike except at school or occasionally on a weekend.

I felt like it was déjà vu except with softball instead of football. We went undefeated then lost our state tournament. I vowed it would never happen again.

Summer was brutal. I ended up getting a job and surprisingly Edward, Jasper, and Emmett joined me. They didn't have to work of course since their parents are loaded but they said it gave them something to do during the day. So during the days I spent time with them and then in the evenings I was either with the group, just the girls, or just Mike. Even though I was spending time with all my friends, I felt like I was being pulled in a hundred different directions. I couldn't talk about Mike when I was around the boys, although Alice and Rose let me talk about him a little, and I couldn't talk about the boys around Mike. I had two clearly separate groups of friends and one of them was my boyfriend.

What the hell am I supposed to do when my best friend and my boyfriend hate each other?

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**A/N: Please just keep reminding yourselves that I'm totally team Edward. **


	8. Replaced

**A/N: TaDa! See I follow through with my promises. **

**Hope you're still keeping the faith!!!!**

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**Replaced**

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Ah yes, sophomore year of high school. Everyone but me had their driving license so at least I was off the hook riding the bus every morning. I rode in with Edward this morning. His dad bought him a new Volvo at the end of the summer as a gift for passing his driving test. Jasper and Emmett both took the money they earned over the summer and put it towards cars. Emmett went with a giant Jeep while Jasper went with a Chevy Colorado truck which he immediately tricked out. Not too many sophomores had their own cars but the ones that did, really had cars. Out of the girls Rose was the only one with a car at the moment – a red BMW convertible and man did she love that thing. Her car was also gifted to her at the end of summer. I was surprised that their mom remembered seeing how they moved into their home that same weekend. Alice was so busy filling her massive walk-in closet to even be concerned with a car but she figured she would get her dream car for Christmas.

I was just hoping to make it to my sixteenth birthday in September.

As soon as we stepped through the front doors I could tell things were different. We ended our freshman year as we began it – in the background. Yeah, we were all sports stars but because we didn't flaunt it and throw it around no one treated us like that. This year, we were in the spotlight. Everyone watched our every move. We were _popular_.

"Morning babe." Mike said as he slung his arm around, effectively moving Edward away from me. Everyone rolled their eyes at him and walked away.

"Morning Mike." I said giving him a half smile. I was already annoyed with him and the day just started. He walked me towards the office to get my schedule, the whole time ignoring me but making sure to say something to all the football players he passed.

After getting my schedule I was instantly bummed. The only class I had with Edward was Gym at the end of the day and of course lunch with everyone. I had Alice and Rose in Geometry but other than that I was alone all day.

_This year is gonna suck! Ugh…I hope it flies by_.

"Come on guys! Get your butts in gear…move it! This is your last practice before the State Championship Game! You wanna look like sissies out there!" I yelled at the football team as they did a round of up and downs. As I stood there watching them struggle with the exercise I couldn't help but think that the season _had_ actually flown by. So far this year was going as I hoped and it hadn't actually sucked too badly – well except I still couldn't spend time with my friends and my boyfriend at the same time.

Our football team had once again made it to the championship game, which is tomorrow. Our record is undefeated and it's a first time in the school's history to have two consecutive seasons with that record. We finished the season number one in the state. Winning the game felt amazing and as soon as the time ran off the clock I was on the field and celebrating with Edward. He picked me up and hugged me while spinning in circles. Emmett and Jasper were right there whooping and hollering like crazy. They each hugged me too and we celebrated for a while before I realized Mike hadn't joined us. I supposed I should have known he wouldn't, but I still expected to see him running for me to give me a kiss or something. I walked away from my boys to find him and found him sitting on the bench by himself, looking rather pissed.

"Hey! Why aren't you out there?" I yelled as I ran to him.

"Oh are you finally done celebrating with _Edward_?" He roared as he stood up off the bench and started walking away from me.

"Are you freaking serious!?" I yelled right back as I grabbed his arm to stop him. He stopped but shook my hand off of his arm.

"As soon as I took my helmet off to find you, I found you in Edward's arms celebrating! It's bullshit Isabella!"

"He's my best friend!"

"And I'm your damn boyfriend! It shouldn't matter. I should be the one you go to first. You _always_ put him before me. Always have! I'm damn tired of it!"

"I do not." I said crossing my arms staring at him. As far as I was concerned I was conceding a lot of time with Edward, hell with everyone, to spend time with Mike.

"The hell you don't. You did it last year when we lost, you did it when you lost state – as I recall you spent the evening letting him console you. Oh and not to mention the time over the summer. I bet you saw him more than anyone else…"

"He lives across the hall Michael!" I yelled throwing my arms in the air.

"It's not just him – you put those girls before me and Jasper and Emmett, I like those two but seriously…when are you going to act like my girlfriend?" He asked then walked away. I just stood there watching him leave before I turned around to see Edward and the boys staring intently at me. Even from a distance I could tell Edward's jaw was set. Emmett's hands were in fists and Jasper looked evil. I shook my head at them then walked off the field to find Mike.

I was in this relationship too deep now. I didn't want to end it with him; I couldn't end it with him. Not because I love him, because I don't. But because I can't stand the thought having nothing to focus on except my ever enduring crush on Edward. Mike is my distraction. I can't lose my distraction.

"Mike!" I yelled as he walked out of the locker room. He stopped and raised his eyebrows at me. "Look…I'm…" I knew saying sorry was appropriate but I wasn't sorry so why say it.

"What?"

"I'm going to try…but you have to understand that they are all my friends and I have to spend time with them too. I'm not losing my friends. I will not be one of those girls who writes her friends off for a boy."

He didn't say anything but held his hand out. I knew he was accepting my agreement to try to be more of a girlfriend but I wasn't blind to the fact that he _didn't_ promise to be more understanding about my friends.

----

"Come on Bella! We have only have five hours to find you the perfect prom dress!" Alice screeched as her and Rose threw me into her Christmas present – a bright yellow Porsche. Ever since the football game, Mike and I have been better, not perfect, but better. He was actually trying harder to accept my relationships with Edward, Jasper, and Emmett. He even was nicer to Rose an Alice. I also tried harder like I said I would and was surprised to find that I was actually starting to get comfortable with everything – with him.

"Can't we take a less ostentatious car though?! This thing will stick out and everyone will know you're putting me in an over the top dress." I whined.

"Nope." She said popping her 'p.'

"Everyone should know you're going to prom. You're the only sophomore going. We're not even going." Rose almost scoffed.

"Hey now…you two were invited but turned them all down so don't give me that crap." I pointed a finger at both of them. The just shrugged their shoulders.

"We're holding out." Alice grinned. I wasn't sure what she meant by that but I let it go. I had more important things to worry about – like the shoes. I didn't win the battle this time and I was being forced to wear heels for the first time in my life.

The day of the prom I was awakened at seven by the pixie and her assistant. I was taken to the spa for the day then hell on earth started. They were completed by six that evening and had just left the apartment when someone knocked on the door. I was expecting Mike any minute so I was surprised to see Edward standing there.

"You look really…gorgeous." He almost mumbled as he eyed me.

"Thank you. "I said blushing at his attention. He never quit looking at me but never said anything. My mind was a jumbled mess of thoughts and feelings. The look in his eyes made my hopes automatically skyrocket.

"Bella…"

"Yes Edward?" I said trying to sound indifferent and failing miserably.

"Um…well…have fun tonight. Be careful and don't do anything you're not…anything I wouldn't do." He said then walked back across the hall into his apartment. My shoulders dropped and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding as I shut the door.

"Not what you wanted to hear?" My mother asked as I turned from the door. My mom has always been too perceptive. I was sure she already expected my crush – probably from the day I told her I wanted to be a girl. She never said anything about it though.

"Not what I expected. I shouldn't have let my mind…" I said but was cut off with a knock on the door. I instantly – stupidly – hoped it was Edward. Of course it was probably just Mike.

_Just Mike? Yep…putting that in my vault for later to think about. Damn Edward and his stupid timing. I was fine – not even thinking about him. But oh no. He has to show up…_

"You going to get the door?" My mom asked laughing. I laughed too then opened the door for Mike.

"Hello beautiful." He said then kissed my cheek. I smiled shoving my thoughts aside for the time being. I wouldn't think about _him_ until after the prom.

Prom was okay. I just couldn't seem to get myself to have fun. As much as I tried to not think about the emotion in Edward's eyes I kept going back to them. It bothered me to know what he was thinking but I knew I wouldn't ever get to. After getting home I went straight to bed but sleep would not come.

I was haunted by his green eyes. The longer I laid awake the more I thought of him. The more I thought of him the more I realized I didn't have a crush on Edward. I love him.

It was painful to realize this because I know Edward doesn't feel like that for me. He cares for me, sure. I can't tell him my feelings. They would scare him and then I would lose our friendship too. I can't loose that. I have to have him in my life. I don't care in what capacity, any capacity is good enough for me. Admitting my feelings are more than a crush immediately complicated things. It was going to be more difficult to pretend things were the same.

_Force yourself to treat him no more special than you do Jasper and Emmett. It's the only option._

---

It's been one month and I have been nothing but miserable. Mike has been jubilant with my attention lately. Every day it's gotten worse and harder to treat Edward no differently than my other friends. I never realized how much I truly favored him before I quit doing it. What's made it the hardest is that Edward has noticed but he hasn't said anything to me about it. He doesn't have to. His eyes say it all. More than enough for me to feel like total shit every day.

Softball State Championship. That's where I am this weekend. I threw all my frustrations and emotions into the game. I played so hard that I thought I would pass out, but it was worth it. As soon as the game was sealed I was beyond any emotion. I had to see Edward. That's what I wanted. I picked him out of the crowd on the field and headed that direction. Nothing was going to stop me, well nothing except Mike appearing next to him. I felt my heart break as I turned my direction just slightly and shifted my gaze to Mike instead. He wrapped me up in his arms and gave me a congratulatory kiss. When I saw Edward walk away without saying a word to me, I felt the tears pool.

Mike took me out to dinner after the game but I was in a hurry to get home. I knew I needed to see Edward. I also knew that this was going to be when all his feelings that he's been bottling up for the past month escape. As soon as Mike was out of my building I walked across the hall and knocked on the door. I knew Carlisle was working the night shift and I saw Edward's car outside so I knew he was alone in the apartment. My mom and Phil were out on a date which was going to be a good thing since I was a hundred percent positive this was not going to be a quiet discussion.

"Edward, open this damn door!" I yelled after my knock went unacknowledged.

"Oh, you finally pulled yourself away from Mike." He said when he answered the door. He was standing there in his basketball shorts and no shirt, causing me to falter just a tiny bit before his words registered.

"What the hell do you want me to do?!" I yelled as I stepped in the apartment pushing him aside and then slamming the door shut.

"I want you to act like we're still friends – or that you even still know me!" he yelled right back just staring at me.

"Damn-it Edward!"

_Keep your feelings in check – just friends. No different._

"We still do shit together. We still hang out." I said trying to calm myself. I knew that if I kept this rant up in the direction it was headed I was guaranteed to say something I really didn't want to say.

"Let's see here…the last time we hung out was almost two months ago. Doesn't sound like much of a friendship to me." He said still obviously mad but there was another emotion in there as well – hurt. I took a deep breath. Both of our tempers were fading out.

"I've had softball, work, and Mike. I'm trying to juggle the best I can. It's complicated."

"Well, Mike is replacing me." He said and I quickly raised an eyebrow when he said 'me.' He almost as instantly corrected. "Us. He's replacing us."

He was jealous. The thought of him being jealous made my heart beat faster.

"Are you jealous?"

He seemed to be torn on what to say. He stood there for a good ten seconds before jerking his head up at me and staring into my eyes.

"Hell yeah I am. We've been friends since the seventh grade and as I recall I was your first friend here. And you wrote me off like I mean nothing to you; that what we have is shit compared to what you and that asshole have." He said not kidding at all. I was definitely fighting back the tears as sadness overtook me.

How could he think that I wrote him off like he means nothing? I've been living in a nightmare these past months. He idiotically made an assumption that I would do that. Doesn't he know me at all?

"Are you freaking kidding me?! You don't even know Edward." I said more forcefully than I actually intended but kept going. "That's a pretty heavy assumption you just made without knowing shit."

"Well…why don't you just inform me then." He interrupted.

_Oh I fully intend to Mr. Cullen. Here goes nothing…screw it all._

"When you guys won State, yeah that fight Mike and I had, that was about _you._ Because I went to you instead of him." I said losing the battle with my tears. "And you have absolutely no idea how hard it was for me today to go to Mike instead of you. I had to literally force myself to stop walking towards you and go to him. I have to force myself every day to put up with Mike in my life." I said then turned towards the door. I stopped with my hand on the knob and turned back around to him. "I thought you knew me better than this. You will never be replaced. By anyone…ever."

"Bell…" he said but I was already out the door and across the hall. I couldn't talk to him anymore. I was done with it. I needed to be alone.

* * *

**A/N: If you're nice I'll give you one more chapter this weekend...and you're really gonna want the next one. It's a BIG one. ;-)**


	9. Over

**A/N: First things first - thank you again for all the reviews. You are all awesome!**

**Now - I was asked about the ages of my characters. I know I have not really talked about this and that's because I could never find a real good place to include the info. At the beginning of this chapter (roughly the end of May of our sophmore year of high school) the ages are Bella - 16 bday 9/13; Edward - 16 bday 6/20; Jasper - 17 bday 11/8; Emmett - 17 bday 1/31; Alice - 16 bday 7/11; Rose - 17 bday 2/3. I will put the ages again at the end of this chapter becuase the will change during the course of it.**

**Also, I'm warning you now, this is the longest chapter I have ever written. I just couldn't break it apart. It all had to be together. Hope you like it. :-)**

* * *

**Over**

* * *

Two weeks; fourteen days; three hundred thirty-six hours – that's how long it's been since I've talked to Edward. We haven't even looked at each other. I thought our previous awkward spell was bad. This is unbearable. I'm losing my mind but I still didn't know what to say to him. I pretty much admitted everything to him and wasn't sure where we stood. His silence didn't help at all. I'm assuming he picked up on my admittance and now he's doing exactly what I figured he would do – freak out. He doesn't see me as anything more than a friend and now that he knows I do, he's uncomfortable with me.

I've lost my best friend.

"Honey, Alice and Rose are here." My mom said sticking her head in my room.

"Tell them to go away." I mumbled through my pillow.

"We're not going any where chica. You're stuck with us tonight." Rose said.

"Yep…stuck with us." Alice chirped as they both plopped themselves on my bed.

"Why?" I groaned.

"Because something's been wrong these past two weeks – really ever since prom actually and you obviously need to talk about it." Alice said.

"I don't want to talk about it." I said whining but knew I could whine all night and they weren't going to budge.

"We've brought ice cream and pizza." Rose said waving the box in front of my face.

"You guys know we can't eat that. What are you thinking?" I whisper yelled.

"Oh hush with that nonsense, its light ice cream and a veggie pizza." Alice laughed as she pulled a slice. "Soooo….are you going to tell us what happened between you and Edward or let us assume the worse."

I rolled my eyes because even though I hadn't spoken to anyone about what happened, no one in my group is stupid. Obviously something had happened between us after the softball game. They both were patiently waiting for me to decide how to begin. I grabbed the gallon of ice cream and a spoon then took a deep breath.

"I likehimmorethanafriend." I ran together in one long word with my eyes closed waiting for their reaction. When I didn't hear anything I chanced a peak. They were still just sitting there like I hadn't dropped a bomb.

"Oh we know that already silly!" Alice laughed.

"What do you take us for? We knew that as soon as you said you "guessed" dating Mike was a good thing." Rose said raising an eyebrow.

"And let's not forget the obvious playing of favorites." Alice said then it was like something automatically clicked in her head. "Is he pissed at you because you've been treating him like, well like just a friend these past few months?"

"Eh yes and no…" I said taking another huge bite of ice cream before I told them everything.

After my Saturday night with the girls I still wasn't convinced that I needed to talk to Edward so I kept with my re-arranged workout schedule to try to avoid him even more than I already was. I knew it was childish of me to avoid him and I knew all my other friends were put in a tough spot by me doing it, but I still couldn't make myself talk to him.

Even the best laid plans go to shit sometimes though. I made it till Thursday before the three boys came walking into the weight room. I was in the middle of a set when I heard the voices. My flight instinct kicked in but I quickly remembered one way in, one way out. I couldn't leave because they'd see me. When they finally appeared and saw me they all came to a quick stop. I looked at them and for the first time in three weeks let myself look directly at Edward. His face held absolutely no emotion as he turned around and headed back towards the door. Jasper and Emmett quickly reacted and ran out the door locking it behind them.

"What the hell you guys?!" Edward yelled as he slammed his fists into the door.

"Fix whatever happened between the two of you. This whole not being friends thing is really messing with all of us!" Jasper yelled right back.

"Jasper Whitlock Hale! Emmett Alan McCarty! Open this damn door right now!" I yelled as I walked beside Edward.

"No way! You can yell all you want but it isn't happening! Not until your friends again." Emmett said. I knew they were serious and I was almost positive that the pixie had her hand in this. She had been trying all week to get me to talk to Edward; she even tried to force us next to each other at lunch a couple of times. I shook my head and walked back towards the machine I had been working on.

_Just go back to your workout. Maybe he won't say anything or ask any questions. God I hope he doesn't ask any questions. I have no idea what to say to him. I'm not ready for this. _

I was almost in a full blown panic attack when I felt him sit down next to me on the bench.

"Damn, act like it's the end of the world to be stuck in this tiny room with me." Edward said. I turned my head and just looked at him. I didn't know how to react to the first words spoken to me in almost three weeks. "Why the hell are you mad at me? I don't get this at all."

_He thinks I'm mad at him?! Is he serious! What the heck is this boy….grrrr. He is beyond frustrating!_

"Are you serious?" I asked in disbelief apparently letting my brain filter go a little.

"Ha! Got you to say something and look at me." He smiled. I shook my head and let a little chuckle of relief out. Relief that on top of whatever conversation we were about to have I didn't have to convince him that I've never been mad at him. Even with breaking the ice a little, we still sat in absolute silence for a minute before I decided it was time.

"I really hate the way I feel right now." I said looking at my feet.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"I obviously can't have you both in my life." I said. I wanted to add that I truly didn't want both, just the one, but I couldn't say it. I wasn't at that point in the conversation yet.

"No one said anything having to pick one or the other."

"Yes, you both kind of did. You both want…expect me to spend all my free time with you. When I don't, I get bitched out. I can't be in two places at once." I said as I lifted my eyes from the floor to stare directly into his. He seemed to look deeply into mine, almost like he was looking for an answer. I wasn't sure what my emotions read in my face at that moment so I have no idea what he saw but he finally spoke.

"Isabella…I want you to be happy. I don't want to cause you stress about anything. If you feel like you need to choose then I will back off and be just your friend. I will try to remember that I can't have you all the time."

Not what I wanted to hear at all. Why can't he fight for me? I _want_ him to fight for me. I want to spend all my free time with him. Did he not get the hint? Did he not understand what I practically told him three weeks ago?

_Man up Swan. Tell him. He wants you to be happy. Ok then…he's the only thing that will make me happy. He deserves to know this even if he only thinks of me as a friend. I don't care anymore if I make a fool of myself…_

"I do want to make sure you know something else though." He said breaking me out of my thoughts. "Just because I'm backing off, doesn't mean I'm happy about it. You're obviously not happy with Mike anymore; you really should do something about that. And if he _is_ going to be an ass and make you choose, I hope you remember who you've always wanted to turn to." He finished then stood up.

My heart was thundering in my chest. I knew in that second I had to just come right out and tell him.

"Edward." I said as I put my hand on his arm, stopping his walk. He turned around and looked down waiting for me to say something. I stood up so I could get closer to him. "Everything you say is the truth. I'm no happy any more. I haven't been but I'm not sure how to make myself happy when the one thing that I know I need is my best friend and his feelings aren't the…"

I was in the middle of pouring my heart out to him when he interrupted me with a kiss. My mind went completely blank. He had one hand on my cheek and the other on my lower back holding me tightly towards him. Everything I had planned to say was gone. The feeling in his one kiss was more than all of Mike's put together. It was like an electrical current pulsing through me. When he stopped and pulled away, I had to catch my breath. I just stood there staring at him, still speechless.

"Bella…this is wrong." He finally said.

"What?!"

"You're still with Mike."

"But I don't _want_ to be with Mike. I want to be…"

"No you don't." He said sounding almost like he was trying to convince himself more than me. "I can't risk our friendship on something that may or may not work out. I can't lose you completely. You have to be in my life one way or another and if friends is all we can be, then so be it."

"But…"

"No. I shouldn't have kissed you like that…"

"No shit." I said pissed crossing my arms. He just looked at me. "So you just let me pour my heart out knowing that you wouldn't…"

"No, no, no…" he said quickly but didn't know how to follow it. "I don't know. I want…I don't know what I want. Well…I want our friendship."

"But nothing else."

"Can't you understand where I'm coming from? I have to have you in my life. I'll screw it up eventually and then you'll hate me and we'll…"

"I'll always be your friend, Edward. And…I do understand where you're coming from, but I don't like it. I'm really pissed about that kiss…you shouldn't have done it." I said looking at him. Yeah, the kiss – the kiss that I'll never forget as long as I live. The kiss that has forever tainted any future kisses from anyone.

"Bella…promise me one thing." He said. I nodded and waited. "Don't break up with him. If you do then I won't have a reason to stay away from you."

I didn't respond. I couldn't promise that and he knew I couldn't promise it. I just walked up to the door.

"Boys open up." I said as I knocked.

"Are things better now?" Emmett asked as they opened the door.

Were things better? No they were worse. I think I'd rather be where I was a week ago. Now I knew he wanted me as well but didn't want me at the same time. The confusion in my mind was beyond words. How was I supposed to go on and pretend we're just friends when we're not? And the promise, the promise I couldn't make – to stay with Mike.

Edward wants to stay friends then that's what we'll stay. It will be an impossible task so to make it easier, I will stay with Mike currently because doing that will make it easier for Edward. The easier it is for Edward then the easier it will be for me to pretend.

"We're friends." Edward and I said at the same time.

----

School ended the following week, Alice and Rose went to Europe for the summer and Mike started college visits. Mike being gone made things both better and worse at the same time. Without Mike there, Edward and I didn't have to put on so much of a show. It was worse because when school started back up and Mike got back it was damn near unfeasible to dial it back to treating him just like Jasper and Emmett.

Once our junior year did start it was obvious that being with Mike was not going to work. He was a senior and acting like the school was his to control. He was beyond arrogant and hating him was the only emotion I was feeling towards him.

_When did I start living a lie? Oh yes that's right, when my best friend kissed me and then proceeded to tell me not to break up with my boyfriend. Right. Hell._

As much as I didn't want to be with Mike, he was still my distraction although it was starting to not work anymore. Alice and Rose helped when it became evident I was losing my will to live basically. Every time I had a free day or night, they practically kidnapped me. It made life a little better. They basically took all my choices away from me. Probably the best thing.

But as much as I tried to still be the girlfriend, I was losing the battle and reverting back to Edward's friend.

"Hey girl." Edward said to me as he walked up to my locker. It was the last week of October and I was leaning there with Mike talking about playoffs for football that were coming up. Edward completely ignored Mike, like he so often did, and leaned down to hug me.

"Hey." I said smiling then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek which he returned. No matter my mood, where I was, or who I was with I could never hide my enthusiasm when Edward was around.

"So, us boys are planning on a movie and pizza later. You interested? Rose and Alice might meet up later but they aren't sure."

"Heck yeah!" I said all excited about it. I hadn't spent much time with just the boys lately, obviously, but I figured I was owed a little bit of time. You know like time off for good behavior.

"She's not interested." Mike firmly stated. I wasn't aware my head could whip around as fast as it did, but before I knew it I was looking at him and I could feel my face heating up. He had never told me I couldn't do something. Sure he'd made it clear he wasn't happy about it, but he'd never flat out told me I couldn't go and he sure as hell never did it in front of the person who asked me.

"Excuse me? Please repeat." I said trying to reign in my anger. The school hallway was not a place for a fight.

"I'm not letting you go out with him. I don't like it. I don't like him. Especially since he just kissed you." He said condescendingly and narrowed his eyes at me. I narrowed mine back as I took a deep breath and turned back to Edward.

"I don't think I'm going to make it out tonight after all." I said very subdued. I knew if I let any kind of emotion show now I was doomed to go off on Mike right there in front of everyone.

"God-damn-it Bella! Are you seriously going to let this asshole…" Edward yelled.

"That's how it should be." Mike said.

"No, she should be able to spend time with her friends." Edward said through clenched teeth as he took a step towards Mike. Mike smirked. I knew there was something happening that I would have to try to process later but right now all I knew was that if I didn't do something quick, neither one of the boys would be playing football anytime soon. So I stepped in the middle of them. Edward looked down at me with a look that could only be described as pissed off. I knew he was mad at Mike but I also knew a lot of that anger was directed towards me as well.

"I'm not blowing you off…some things need to be taken care of tonight." I said under my breath and then mouthed 'call me later.' He nodded then walked away.

"Glad you saw that from my…" Mike smiled as he put his arm around my shoulders and started walking towards our class. I spun out from under him and glared.

"Shut-up. Just shut-up you son of a bitch. Edward is my best friend and yeah he did kiss my cheek – actually I kissed his first. But it was on the cheek! And I do believe I let it go every time one of the whores in this school does it to you." I said and stopped just long enough to catch my breath and try to calm myself. He thought I was done and tried to talk. "I'm not done yet. If you want this to work you have got to let me spend time with my friends – ALL of my friends. That's all there is to say. Subject closed. Your decision." I finished then walked away.

I'm not stupid. Mike wouldn't put up with me growing a backbone. I just wonder how long it will take until he breaks up with me. I quickly found Rose and Alice; they already knew what had happened so we skipped our last period and headed back to their house for girl time.

I was home pretty early and was surprised when Edward's car was in his spot. I thought about knocking on his door but opted against it and just went into my room. He called me about ten minutes later.

"I want to apologize for causing that fight today." He said as soon as I answered my phone.

"You're not upset and I'm not worried about it." I said laughing. "I'm just so sick of fighting with him over the same stupid thing."

"Yeah about that…" he said then I heard him take a deep breath. "Bella…I've been thinking. It was really selfish of me to ask you not to break up with him for my benefit only. That was so stupid. Being with him is obviously making you miserable and he's clearly an asshole."

"Are you asking me to break up with him now?" I said laughing at the whole situation.

"No. I'm not asking you to do anything. I just want you to do whatever makes you happy." He said then paused. "But are you going to breakup with him?"

The hope in his voice was not disguised very well at all. I couldn't suppress my smile.

"No I have not but I really don't think it will last much longer, whether it is my doing or his. I pretty much told him it was over though just not officially."

"Just playing the waiting game then?"

"Pretty much. I don't want to end it right now before playoffs and throw his whole game off. You guys gotta win this again!" I said hoping our conversation would switch tracks to something I was more comfortable with, like football. It worked.

----

The playoffs started and it was obvious Mike and I were on the verge of breaking up but neither of us were doing it. He spent the last two weeks ignoring my phone calls and if he did actually take it he only stayed on the line for a minute then gave me some excuse to get him off the line. The only time we saw each other was at school events. This of course let me spend time with my friends with no interruptions. I could tell Mike was cheating on me, but I really didn't care. As far as I was concerned our relationship was over a year ago really. I was even positive I knew who he was cheating with.

I kept my suspicions from everyone else and just went on with life. I really wanted to show him that you don't mess with Isabella Swan. And even though I wasn't mad he should have just ended it with me before going off with the slut. I wanted everyone to know the kind of scum Mike Newton really is.

My stage was set. It was perfect; our Regional Championship game.

I didn't act any differently the day of the game. I still wore his jersey like the good girlfriend even though we hadn't talked much. It was hard to force it over my head in the morning when I really wanted to pour bleach on it. Even though I didn't change my attitude and I tried to act normally, I was pretty sure my friends knew something was going on. They never asked though, for which I was thankful.

As expected we won the game, the only step of my plan out of my direct control. As soon as the game finished everyone rushed the field for celebration. I calmly walked my way towards where Edward, Jasper, Emmett, Rose, and Alice were all standing. Mike was behind Edward so he could see me and I could see every expression on his face. Mike was livid as I approached Edward, Edward was confused, and everyone else was blank.

"Congratulations." I said to Edward then kissed his cheek. I saw the light bulb flicker on above his head. He knew I was ending it with Mike but didn't know why.

"Do you want me to handle this for you?" He asked very serious. I just had to laugh.

"Honey, you can't breakup with him for me. That's just wrong."

"I'd probably hit him anyways." He said shrugging.

"I _know_ you would." I said implying that Mike had hurt me – Edward's qualifications for kicking his butt. I saw the other light flicker on again as well as everyone else standing close. I winked at them all then walked past them and headed towards Mike to do it.

He glared at me the whole time I walked across the field. It was surprisingly very hard not to laugh.

"So I'm second!" He yelled at me.

"Mike, seriously, do you think I'm stupid? You must think I'm honestly blind."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Yes, you're second…you always have been. But aren't I second too?" I said looking at him dead in the eyes. I knew he wouldn't admit it in front of everyone. It would tarnish his perfect reputation. As far as everyone else was concerned, we had the perfect relationship. One of the most popular guys in school and the most popular girl, we were it. We were what incoming freshman looked up to. We had been together since my freshman year, basically two years. As far as the rest of the student body was concerned, seeing Mike and I together in the hall was common place. To see something different would have been ludicrous.

"Can we discuss this off the field?"

"Nope." I said popping my 'p' like Alice. I could feel the eyes on us from behind me but I didn't chance a look at my friends. "We're discussing this right here, right now. Ya know, I'm not really surprised you cheated on me. How long has it been going on? Did it happen after our little fight in the hallway or were you doing it before then?" I said not really expecting an answer because that would be admitting to it.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh just grow a pair and freaking admit you're a cheating asshole." I said loud enough to make sure everyone around would hear me.

"Please let's do this…"

"No Mike. I'm tired of doing things the way you want them done. I've been doing it for two years. I'm through with it. I'm done doing anything you want me to do. I'm done with you. We're through. It's over." I said then sighed. "Huh, wow, I feel better already. I hope you two are happy together. You're both perfectly matched really." I said then glanced toward Jessica Stanley who was looking very anxiously at our exchange from the sideline. Her facial expression confirmed my suspicions.

"Wait, Bella…please just…" Mike begged and reached for my arm. All my emotions came crashing down on me when he touched me and tried to hold me in place. The force in which they hit me was unbelievable. I felt my eyes water, my cheeks got warm, and my hands were shaking.

_Deep breath. Breathe. You can do this without shedding tears in front of any of them._

"Go fuck yourself Mike." I said, ripping my arm from his grasp and headed directly toward Jessica. Her expression changed immediately. She now looked scared as I came walking toward her. She kept looking around for help but no one was moving. Everyone was watching me intently. I'm sure running from me was what she wanted to do, but she just stood there.

When I was about ten feet from her I started taking Mike's jersey off. I didn't say anything, I didn't look at her, I didn't stop walking, I just dropped the jersey at her feet and didn't stop walking until I reached Jasper's truck in the parking lot.

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**A/N: Hope it was worth the wait. She's done with Mike!!! But will she and Edward finally get together????**

**Ages at the end of the chapter (roughly the middle of Novemeber - in our junior year of high school)**

**Bella: 17**

**Edward: 17**

**Jasper: 18**

**Emmett: 17**

**Rose: 17**

**Alice: 17**


	10. Moving On

**A/N: So what do you do when you have a shit-tastic day at work? Well come home and write mindless fluff of course! Eh yeah this chapter is definitely a filler, but once again a necessary evil to gear up for the next chapter (which I must say is already beginning to be one of my favs!). **

**As always, a shout out to my awesome friends who read and review! Also those of you who have added me as a favorite author and/or my stories. It really means a lot that you all like my stuff that well. **

**Without further delay.................**

* * *

**Moving On**

* * *

"Where do you think she is?" Emmett asked.

I could hear them talking as they walked towards Jasper's truck. I'm not really sure how long I was sitting on the tailgate waiting on them but it felt like hours. I was well aware of the fact that I had been crying and I knew that everyone would assume they were tears of sadness, but they were simply tears of anger. I hoped that no one on the field had noticed my waterworks; appearing weak in front of all the people I hated was not on my list of things to do – especially over a stupid boy.

"You don't think she walked home do you? That would be one heck of…" Jasper said.

_Why the hell would I walk home? Do they really think I'm that torn up over this? _

"She's sitting on your tailgate." Edward interrupted.

"Oh thank god." Alice said and I heard her footsteps pick up in pace. I assumed Rose was close behind her. I was happy that they cared, but I only wanted Edward. I looked up from my lap and gazed past them to Edward who was staring at me.

"Hey Ali, Rose." I said still not looking at them.

"Hey pixie, let's get home. Let's let these boys take her." Rose suggested before Alice could get another word in. Rose, god bless her, she always somehow knew what I was thinking.

"But…"

"You'll see her at work tomorrow, because you know she won't call in for this shit." Rose said turning Alice around and towards their car while winking at me. I gave her a half smile before turning my attention back to the boys. All three of them were half dressed, hair still wet and in major disarray, more so than normal. I just shook my head and laughed. That got looks from them, causing me to shake my head again.

Edward walked up to me, standing between my legs and wiped my tears away and pushed my hair behind my ears. I couldn't look away from his eyes. I vaguely remember hearing the truck doors shut indicating that Jasper and Emmett were no longer standing next to us, but I couldn't tell you when they left.

"I'll kick his ass if you want me to." Edward whispered. I laughed a little but shook my head because if anyone was going to be kicking his ass it was going to be me and Edward knew that too.

"Can we just go home?"

"Anything you want, sweetie." He said. I stood up and walked to the back of the truck and sat down again. Edward closed the tailgate and then jumped in the back sitting down next to me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders allowing me to rest my head on him.

The next thing I was aware of, we were stopping in front of our building. I realized I had long since stopped crying and had lost my ability to form any emotion towards the situation. I knew I was blocking and not _allowing_ myself to feel but for the time being I was all right with that.

"See you guys tomorrow at work." Edward said as we walked by the cab of the truck.

"See ya." They said then pulled away.

"Do you want to talk about…?" Edward asked as we walked up the stairs, his arm still around me.

"Not tonight. Can we just hang out and pretend it didn't happen right now?" I asked, almost pleaded really. He didn't say anything he just nodded. "At your place." I added when I realized he was steering me towards my apartment.

"Sure." He said then turned us around and went to open his door. "Before we start ignoring this…do you want me to pick you up for work tomorrow or are you taking a sick…"

"I can't leave you hanging on a Saturday. I'd like a ride to work, please." I said.

"Edward? Is that you?" A female voice I didn't recognize came from the kitchen. Edward's eyes widened and brightened. I looked from him to the kitchen entrance. Standing in the doorway was a beautiful woman. She didn't stand much taller than Alice and it didn't take me long to realize who she was. She had the same color hair as Edward and even though their eyes were different colors, they were the same in shape and depth. It was Esme.

"Mom?" Edward said in disbelief. "I thought you…hi." He finally said chuckling.

"I finished up work and came on down. I know its a few months earlier than expected but now we won't miss the holidays together and…oh my, excuse my manners, you must be Bella." She said smiling at me.

"Yes ma'am." I said extending my hand.

"Psh…Esme dear. Oh…have you been crying? Is everything all right dear?" She asked me then gave a disapproving look towards her son. "Edward?"

I had to laugh at her tone.

"Edward didn't do anything…it's just…I broke up with my boyfriend tonight." I said and for some reason felt the lump in my throat. "It was nice to meet you Esme, but I think I'll be going home now. I don't want to interfere with your coming home celebration."

"Bells…you don't have…" Edward said.

"I want to Edward. It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow morning for work." I said then stood on my tip toes to kiss his cheek. "Thank you." I finished then walked out closing the door behind me. Before I opened my door I took a deep breath, hoping Renee was out for the evening.

"What the heck is going on?" Renee asked her hands on her hips. I hadn't even shut the door yet and she was all over me. I wasn't surprised she knew something was wrong. Not only had I ignored the countless phone calls I received from Mike but I was sure someone at the game had told her what happened.

"What?" I asked innocently, trying to play it off.

"What? A very upset Mike called her looking for you. Said you weren't answering your phone. He's mad about something and what have you been doing to not answer your phone?"

"He's mad?! What a jackass! Of course I wasn't answering my phone. I'm never answering again when he calls. I no longer have to. He is no longer my boyfriend. He and Jessica will be very happy together." I said bitter.

"Oh. I see." She said finally calming down. I didn't say another word to her.

Surprisingly, sleep came quickly and I was more than ready for work when Edward knocked on my door. I had my makeup on, hair done, a cute new outfit, and a smile on my face.

"You ready" He asked skeptically.

"Yep let's go." I said cheerfully as I grabbed his arm and shut the door. He just looked at me, almost like he was waiting on me to do a trick or something. "What?"

"You know it's not good to suppress your feelings." He said with a raised eyebrow.

"Eh…I guess when you're prepared for it, it makes it easier. I'm mad, don't get me wrong, but I'm not going to lose sleep over the ass. He's totally not worth it." I said smudging the truth just slightly. I didn't feel the need to get into detail about how I was suppressing my feelings but that it was just because I wasn't ready to feel them yet. I knew they would hit me, and probably at the most inopportune time but until then I was going to be happy. He didn't say anything more and we drove to the mall in silence.

We were all still working at the same place, _The Buckle,_ and it had its benefits. The discount was great, we got first dibs on the new clothes, and since it was the six of us on the weekends we had fun. But it also had its downfalls – mainly everyone from school came in constantly.

"Has she lost it?" Jasper asked Edward when we walked in. I just flipped him off before going to the back room to clock in.

"I don't think so." He said laughing. Alice and Rose were glad to see me and even happier to see that I didn't look run down and beaten. Rose starting spouting off her female power speech and I just tuned her out.

I was looking forward to the day and to be my normal self, unfortunately everyone besides my friends thought I should be broken to pieces and crying my heart out. Eventually the gossip of me being happy traveled all the way to Mike's ears and he showed up at the store. I didn't notice him at first because I was with Alice helping a customer, but since I'm so tuned into Edward's movements I noticed the second he moved swiftly towards the door.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave this store." Edwards said to Mike standing directly between him and me. I was only about fifty feet away from them so I could hear and see everything. I was trying desperately to ignore the confrontation but when the person you're helping stops talking to you _to_ pay attention you lose your only distraction.

"You can't make me leave." Mike said then took a step in my direction. Edward placed his hand firmly on Mike's chest to stop him. "Get your damn hand off me!" Mike shouted.

"As manager of this store, I'm requesting you leave before something happens that you'll regret. And I do have the right to do that."

"Remove your hand." Mike said again, this time through his clenched jaw. Edward didn't move in the slightest.

I was in the beginning motion of my first step towards them when Mike drew his arm back. My sprint was instant but I didn't get to him before he hit Edward. Jasper and Emmett were in motion as well. I got to Mike and Edward but instead of stopping, I threw all my force into Mike pushing him away from Edward as Jasper and Emmett grabbed Edward to keep him from retaliating.

"I'm not going to hit him, guys. You can let go. Bella's got him." I heard Edward say almost like he was laughing. Mike gathered his balance only to have me shove him again. This time I got him out of the store and into the mall. People who were in the store followed us out and some of the people wandering around outside the store stopped to see what was going as well.

"You really should have left when Edward asked you to." I said knowing that the mall cops were on their way already. I pushed him up against a wall and as he hit it with a thud he looked surprised.

"What the hell is your prob…" he yelled in my face.

"How dare you come down here, to my job, poised to get up in _my_ face!"

"You embarrassed me last night! You broke up with me in front of the whole school and now you're not even upset about it!"

"_I _embarrassed _you_? You cheated on me, remember asshole? That's pretty damn embarrassing." I yelled back. I heard wind chime chuckles and a snort from behind me making me aware that Alice and Rose had joined me. "Look around. You thought last night was bad? This is worse. Everyone here is looking at you. Everyone here now knows you were a jerk and are vain enough to think I would be crying over you. Why would I waste tears on a cheating, idiotic prick?"

"But…"

"Oh just shut up! No one wants to hear what you have to say. I put up with your shit for two years. Two years – just to have you cheat on me with a cheerleader. You're such a stereotypical asshole it's comical, really. That's worse than just being an asshole – you can't even be original with your cheating. You're beyond pathetic. Truly sad. I almost feel sorry for you. _Almost_." I said as I turned to walk away. When I turned I realized every one of my friends except Edward were standing behind me.

"Bella…"

"Shove it up your ass and go home." I said without looking at him. "Where's Edward?"

"In the back doctoring his lip." Jasper answered. I nodded then headed that direction.

When I entered the break room Edward had his back to me standing at the sink. I stood at the door for just a second longer than necessary staring at him. Even from the back he was good looking – more so than anyone our age, heck more so than anyone I had ever seen. He didn't seem to notice I had entered so when I finally spoke he jumped just slightly making me chuckle.

"You okay?" I asked as I walked up to the side of him.

"Oh yeah, this is nothing." He laughed as he held ice to his lip. I jumped up on the counter next to the sink to take a look at it. "He hits like a chick." He added as I pulled the ice off.

"Here let me get some of this off." I mumbled as I wet the washcloth and started dabbing at the blood around his lip. He moved his body so he was standing between my legs letting me get closer so I didn't have to stretch.

"Thanks." He murmured. I nodded my response before looking around for a place to throw the dirty washcloth. When I looked back up, I found myself staring directly into Edward's blazing green eyes. My breathing hitched and my heart thumped rapidly in my chest. I was trying desperately to calm myself so he wouldn't think I was a freak but as soon as his hand touched my cheek, I gave up trying. I took a deep shaky breath, trying to prepare for what I thought was coming. I knew I should stop it. I knew I shouldn't let him get this close to me. It wasn't healthy, emotionally anyways. He had hurt me once…

"Hey!" Emmett yelled as he barged into the room. Edward's hand dropped instantly and he stepped away from me.

"What?" We both asked irritated. He raised his eyebrow at us but let our response and position slide without comment.

"Well, the rent-a-cops wanna talk to you guys before they leave. Wanna know if charges are gonna be pressed and all that bull."

"Okay, be there in a second." Edward answered then turned back to me as Emmett walked out. He looked at me for a second, grinned his crooked grin, and then walked out leaving me sitting on the counter.

_What. The. Hell?!_

I growled to myself before jumping down and joining everyone else. Edward decided not to press charges, which didn't surprise me at all. He said it was because he didn't feel it was right to press them against someone so feminine. That got a booming laugh out of the boys and a snarky remark from Rose about sexism and women being stronger.

I was clearly distracted for the rest of day. I kept thinking back to what almost happened…or rather what I thought almost happened. Edward hadn't mentioned it, hadn't even eluded that something almost happened. After ending our shifts for the day, I decided to head out with Alice and Rose for some much needed girl time.

I'll get their input on the situation.

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**That crazy frustrating boy! What hell is he thinking now?!? :-) Hope you enjoyed this. I was back and forth about whether or not Bella would get up in Mike's face but after writing two versions of this chapter I liked this one better.**


	11. Breakdown

**A/N: Right so this chapter took longer to get posted than I thought it would but only because I just couldn't figure out how to write it. I wrote it for the first time, proofed it, hated it, and then rewrote it ---- three more times. Honestly, I'm still not totally happy with it. I'm hoping you all like it better than I do. **

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**Breakdown**

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Ever have one of those days when you know its just going to be absolute crap from the second your feet hit the ground? Yeah, that's today.

I woke up excited because, first off, it's Saturday with no work. Secondly, it is the day of the State Championship game.

All it took was for me to put my feet on my floor, literally, to know this wasn't going to be my day. I instantly stepped on something sharp that hurt like hell, and then couldn't find the offending object therefore guaranteeing me to step on it again. As soon as I looked up from the floor, I realized I was running thirty minutes late. Running around the apartment trying to get ready, I ran smack-dab in my door jam. I almost fell in the shower. I poked myself in the eye with my eyeliner.

Every single one of those incidents I could handle, but I lost it when I reached into my closet for the football jersey I'm used to wearing on game days. I no sooner had my hand going for it when I drew my hand back to my side. My breathing sped and I felt my eyes start that stupid burning sensation.

_Stupid, stupid girl! It's just a jersey. Why is this sending you into a freaking crying spell? The crying spell you've successfully avoided for two weeks…now is _not_ the time to let him finally get to you. Deep breaths. Pick out something else to wear. It. Will. Be. Okay._

I had just collected myself when Edward knocked on the door.

"Just a second Edward!" I yelled from my bedroom, glaring at him through the door hoping he could sense my irritation towards him. I'm still frustrated with what happened in the break room at work. He still hasn't said anything about it and I think that is what is driving me just as insane as the little laugh he ended the exchange with.

I had explained what happened at work that day to Alice and Rose, and after they were done calling him every name under the sun, they told me to pretend nothing had happened. They said to act like he's nothing more than a friend to me. I was all for the plan until I realized that was exactly what he was doing as well. Edward acting like that has made these past two weeks very difficult.

I threw on my team shirt and ran to get the door for him. When I opened it, he just looked at me.

"What?" I asked annoyed.

"I guess I forgot you wouldn't be wearing a jersey today. It threw me off." He shrugged.

_Oh for the love of all that is holy! Calm yourself again – deep breaths, _again_._

"Yep, no football jersey for me anymore." I said forcing a smile. His eyes flashed with something and I assumed he caught onto my faked happiness, but didn't say anything.

After picking up Jasper and Emmett we headed towards the stadium barely making it on time for warm-ups. I managed to avoid any more klutzy moves letting me enjoy the pre-game fun and the time I had with my friends. It was shockingly easy to ignore the fact that my cheating ex-boyfriend was always within spiting distance. Phil helped me a lot by not asking me to deal with Mike personally – making a mental note to thank him later for that.

The game flew by, probably because we were having fun winning. We drew first blood and never let go of the lead earning us our 2nd in a row championship title. As soon as it was over I was on the field running to Edward to celebrate. He welcomed me with open arms lifting me up into a hug and swinging me around. From that view point I caught sight of what ultimately did me in and ruined any type of celebration I might have had.

I caught sight of Mike and Jessica kissing on the field. I felt my happiness slowly drain out of me. I was sure my facial expression told everybody anything they'd want to know about why I all of sudden quit rejoicing. Edward almost instantaneously lowered me back down and set my feet on the field. I refused to look at him and kept my eyes on the turf.

"You okay?"

"Yeah" I said as I sniffed. He sighed then lifted my chin making me look at him. I forced yet another smile for him. It was stupid of me to think he'd let it go twice in one day.

"Liar." He whispered. I just looked at him trying to hold back the tears that we desperately trying to fall. I forced my face out of his grip, dropped my head, and walked off the field.

I'd like to say I was surprised when all three boys and Alice and Rose showed up not too long after I got to the car, but I was not. It was a replay of two weeks ago. Alice tried to calm me, Rose told her no. I relied on Edward to hold me. What surprised me was when he handed his car keys to Jasper and told him to drive while he sat in the backseat with me. Why I love my boys – none of them tried to ask me anything. They knew if I wanted to talk, I would.

Edward walked me to my door in silence but I could tell he was anxious. I opened the door to my apartment and then without a word I stepped aside to let him inside. He hesitated but finally came in shutting the door behind him.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked quietly. I nodded then sat down on the couch. He quickly followed sitting down next to me, waiting for me to speak. I took a deep breath but didn't look at him. I just stared at my hands as I nervously intertwined my fingers over and over again.

"It all just finally sank in that I'm alone again, I guess."

"You're not alone." He said taking my hands. I smiled slightly then looked at him.

"I know I have you…and the guys, and of course Ali and Rose. But it's different. I'm just crazy." I laughed without any humor.

"You are not crazy. You're normal…well…" he said raising an eyebrow at me. I appreciated his attempt to make me laugh but I just looked at him. "Okay – what happened tonight?"

"I was fine – I've been fine. I had a thing this morning with the jersey issue, but I…I was fine until I saw him kissing her." I said sighing.

"Of course it's going to hurt to see him with her."

"No, I don't think that was it." I said quickly. "I really am over _him_ and I don't care about him or that they're together. It's the fact that…" I explained but stopped.

"What?"

I knew exactly what the problem really was, but wasn't sure how to proceed with it.

"It's just…it hurt because _I_ wasn't kissing anyone. Do you realize that tonight's game was the first time I didn't get to kiss someone in celebration? It's harder than I thought it would be." I finally spit out. He didn't say anything. It was the only awkward silence we've ever experienced. I couldn't handle it and so my brain went into overdrive and protection mood. I started babbling fast. "Plus, I've never made myself so vulnerable…for pain. I've always been so guarded. And I have never, I mean _never, _let any of them see me hurt. The fact that I let it happen over a boy – twice in two weeks mind you, but anyways – over a boy who I knew deep down would hurt me eventually, make me…he embarrassed the crap out of me and…" I was going to continue to spout absolute bull just to have noise surrounding us.

I desperately needed to move past the fact that I had basically told him I wished I was kissing him. He took the bait.

"Are you seriously upset because you're not as strong as you thought you were? Isabella Marie…no one expects you to be Super Woman except you." He said laughing at me with a sign of relief in his eyes, like he was happy to be able to ignore my previous admission. "Do you know that I've seen you act more like a girl in the past month than I have my entire time knowing you? If you try to be too strong and guarded to avoid getting hurt…you'll never live…." He said then sighed. "And you'll miss out on a chance of something spectacular." He added, almost to himself.

"I know." I said dropping my head, embarrassed yet again. We both sat there quiet once more but thankfully not awkward this time.

"Bella…" He finally said, so I looked up at him. He had a look of almost pain on his face. My expression turned to one of questioning as he continued to just sit there. "Do you ever think about…about our kiss?" he eventually asked.

With the mention of the kiss it automatically replayed in my head. It solicited a smile from me. I knew I needed to be honest with him, no matter what the outcome. I couldn't figure out where he was going with this, but part of me was worried it was not a direction I wouldn't like.

"All the time." I said telling him the truth. His forehead ceased like he was deep in concentration, building the panic in me and causing me to talk without really thinking of the consequences. "Why?"

I mentally slapped my forehead.

_Odds are you don't want to know why Swan. He's obviously questioning himself and he looks like he's in pain – if he's in pain then you'll probably end up in pain too._

He took a deep breath letting his face muscles relax smoothing out his forehead and erasing all expressions from his face. One of the scariest expressions is a blank one. You have nothing to go on to prepare yourself for the next second. My brain was trying to figure out what was next while my heart was already preparing itself for another giant rip. He dropped his head to his lap for a split second before looking back up at me with a look of pure determination.

"I think about it in just about every thought I have." He admitted.

_What?! Please repeat._

My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest but I was speechless. I just sat there staring at him replaying his sentence, so simple but yet so full of meaning.

He leaned toward me clearly going for a kiss but my dim-witted brain took over, ignoring my heart's screaming pleas to let it continue.

"Wait…" I said standing up off the couch and stepping away from him.

Confused was the only word for it, on both ends.

"What's wrong?" he asked standing up as well and walking towards me. My eyes cautioned him as I backed up further.

"Last time…" I started then took a deep breath to calm myself as the memory of the pain it caused me last time pounded into me. "You hurt me really bad last time. I didn't show it, but to have you kiss me then turn around and say that nothing would ever come from it…that we were still _just_ friends…it was worse pain than Mike. I don't want to feel that again and if you're going to…"

"I've realized…rather recently, that sometimes you…some things need to be risked in order to achieve something greater." He said as he reached for my hand. I let him take it, just like I always let him.

"Edward…I…I don't know if I want a relationship, right now. I don't want my best friend to be a rebound." I laughed a little.

"He doesn't want to be." He laughed closing the distance between us.

"Um…so what…"

"I don't want to label us. We've never fallen into a label, why start now?" he said smiling. "How about we say this – let's remain us but all those feelings and urges that we've been ignoring, let's not ignore them anymore."

"You realize that basically puts us in a relationship category. We've always been in a relationship Edward, just without the physical aspect."

"I know but…this is complicated."

"It is." I agreed. He nodded while laughing. I couldn't help but smile and that's what I did up until he kissed me. It was the kiss I wanted on the field after the game. It had passion, it had meaning, like he had years of feelings behind it. He wrapped his arms around my body and enveloped me in his arms. I felt so safe and secure. All my worries about the past, the present, the future…they were all gone. All I could process was the way his lips felt against mine. How they fit perfectly with mine, how we moved perfectly together.

It was absolute perfection. Life was perfect – finally.

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**A/N: There you have it folks! They're finally together - in their weird Bella and Edward way they're together. More details on how this relationship will work in the next chapter. But before you all totally freak out on me....yes, they are _together_. I'm not into that casual bullshit. It's not going to be that we can see each other but other people as well shit. No way! Ick!!!**

**Ohhh....and my first poll! (um yeah I probably won't do this again because this is my story and I want the ideas to be mine but....) Should Edward and Mike have another face to face exchange? I can't decide. I have this idea floating around but can't decide if you guys would like to have Edward defend his woman from the evils of Mike or if you would like to just have Mike disappear - forever. Yeah so let me know!**


	12. Coming Out

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A/N: Okay - this would have been up earlier but I've been having issues with uploading stuff, but it's here now!

**As always, thanks for the reviews and support. As voted, Mike will disappear. This was the way I was leaning anyways. :-)**

**Enjoy**

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**Coming Out**

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I usually enjoyed my lunch time with my friends. Today was different. All day had been odd. Edward and I arrived at school and everyone was waiting by their cars like always, but no one said anything to us. No one said anything actually. It was unnerving and I had no idea why none of my friends were talking to each other.

I did notice the sideways glances they were all giving Edward and I but I couldn't understand that either. We were acting like we always had acted – like friends. We, I do mean that literally – Edward and I together decided we would keep quiet about what happened after the game on Saturday; neither of us being ready for the whole school to know that we are together. I'm not ready to deal with the rumors that were sure to fly if I was immediately in another relationship and Edward doesn't want to be seen as the "quick fix" to my single status.

What I didn't consider was how hard it would be to not touch him openly Monday at school. We had spent all day Sunday just the two of us and we were very affectionate with each other. Now that I had given myself permission to touch him, my body ached for it every second.

The other thing I didn't consider when we made the decision to not share our relationship was that our friends would be in the dark. I feel horrible hiding this from Jasper and Emmett but more upset about keeping Ali and Rose out of it. They have been there for me from the very start of everything. They know everything that has gone down between Edward and I, except the most recent – the most crucial – events. I feel like a cad and an awful friend.

By lunch time the glances and silence from my friends had gotten damn near unbearable and I was bouncing my legs like crazy as the six of us just sat and stared at everything but each other. Edward placed a hand on my knee and squeezed. I took a deep breath and looked up at him. His eyes were calming me but my eyes expressed the need to tell our friends. He sighed then ever so slightly nodded.

He gave me permission to tell our friends, immediate relief washed over me and I knew I had to get everything out in the open quickly. Not sure if the lunch room is the appropriate place though…

"So when are you going to start dating again?" Jasper broke the mind-numbing silence with a rush of words. I wasn't expecting anyone to speak and he spoke so fast that I almost didn't catch it all, but I did and I knew the truth was coming out right now.

"Ummm…well you see guys…the thing is…"

"Oh just tell us Bella." Alice said as she crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. The annoyed look on her face told me everything I needed to know.

They already know, they're just waiting on us to tell them.

"Never said our friends were stupid." Edward mumbled. I just laughed.

"Is this why you guys have been _weird_ all day then?" I asked.

"We don't know what you're talking about Bella." Rose said mimicking Alice's pose and expression. Emmett raised an eyebrow and looked at us expectantly. Jasper followed suit, but less hostile looking than the others.

"Ok fine. Yes we are together but keep in between the six of us, okay?" Edward said. The smiles that spread across our friends' faces were priceless. They were so happy for us it made me happier.

"About damn time." Emmett mumbled, effectively receiving a smack on the back of the head from Rose. "Hey! What was that for?"

Rose just shrugged then turned her attention back to me with a certain expression only girls can know. My eyes about popped out of my head. Rose caught it and shook her head quickly and slightly. Alice, of course, noticed our silent exchange and started bouncing on her seat.

"Oh oh oh!!!! Girls' night! I'm calling a girls' night. _Mandatory."_ The pixie glared at me.

"But…Edward and I were going…"

"No. You and Edward had yesterday. Rose and I get tonight. We apparently have some things to discuss."

"That works out perfect Ali…we can have a guys' night. Monday night football and all." Jasper said.

"Hell yeah!" Emmett and Edward agreed.

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Girls' night…ugh.

I'm usually okay with it, but tonight we were going shopping and getting manicures and pedicures.

"Details, details, details." Alice said as soon as we got into Rose's car.

"Nothing really to tell. I freaked out when I saw Mike and Jessica kissing, Edward calmed me down, asked if I thought about our kiss, then tried to kiss me but I stopped it…"

"You what?!' They both exclaimed.

"Gosh…calm down it's not like you don't know how it ends." I said rolling my eyes. Rose waved her hand telling me to continue. "I explained to him why I didn't think it was a good idea for us to kiss seeing how last time he pulled away from me…anyways he told me he was stupid for doing it and then it just kinda happened." I said ending with a huge grin and sigh as I remembered the kiss.

"That good huh?" Alice asked.

"Better."

"So…what happened Sunday? Did you two…." Rose asked trailing off suggestively.

"NO! Lord we just started dating…"

"But you've known him forever." Alice reminded me.

"Yeah but I was with Mike for two years and we never did anything more than…second base I guess." I said blushing. Rose almost served off the road.

"What? You've never…no kind of sex at all?" Rose yelled.

"Um no. Have you?" I asked. She hadn't dated anyone since she and Alice moved to Jacksonville and I certainly didn't think she would have done anything like that before her freshman year of high school.

"No it's just that you've had a steady boyfriend for two years…and it was _him_ so we just assumed you two were getting busy." Alice explained their reasoning.

"Oh well no. I've kinda always hoped for…I've always known Mike wasn't it for me." I said then we sat in silence again for a while. Mike had certainly tried, a few hundred times, but I always told him I wanted to wait for marriage. It was an excuse. I knew I wouldn't wait until marriage; I'm not going to set goals for myself knowing damn well I won't be able to keep them. It was just I didn't want to do it with him. I'd be lying to myself if I tried to convince myself I was holding out for my best friend. All of a sudden I remembered something. "Oh Rose about that look at lunch today…."

"What?" She asked kind of grimacing.

"How long have you liked Emmett?"

She almost served off the road again. Alice laughed but got an evil glare from Rose and immediately stopped laughing and started shaking her head furiously. Rose didn't seem to care.

"As long as Alice has liked Jasper."

My turn to freak out. If I had been driving, we would have been off the road.

"What the hell you guys!"

They both just shrugged. "Eh…about a year now." Alice expounded.

"So why aren't you trying…"

"Neither of them are ready. They're not in the mind frame to be in a couple. They both just want to be guys and play football. When they're ready…." Rose said.

"It's on." Alice said with a mischievous grin on her face.

"You realize it's going to be damn difficult for me to keep these little juicy details to myself, right?"

"Oh no Bella! You can't tell them! How awkward would that be?! No they can't know. You have to keep it a secret." Rose said.

"_Please_." They both begged in unison. I just laughed. Of course I wouldn't _tell_ the boys about their crushes, but I sure was going to have some fun with it all.

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"I am so getting this dress. It's beyond perfect! Don't you think Bella?" Alice asked as she examined the white dress. It was strapless with a tiny ball gown skirt that was soft layers of tulle that ended high-thigh. It cinched at the waist with a stripe of green material. It really was Alice, but was it prom material.

"Um don't you think it might be too short for prom?"

"Are you nuts? It's perfect! Let's find Rose and then we'll get you a dress too. It has to be absolutely perfect." She said grabbing my hand.

"Stupid pixie." I mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing. Let's find Miss Rosalie." I said rolling my eyes. Alice just glared but kept dragging me towards where we left Rosalie. She was standing in front of a mirror looking at her reflection. I didn't even notice she was wearing a dress. I was worried because she looked like she was about to cry.

"Are you okay Rose?" I asked as we approached.

"I'm great! This dress is amazing! Look." She said spinning. My mouth dropped to the ground. She looked amazingly wonderful. The dress was a deep shade of purple. The silk of the material clung perfectly to her body. The bust was heart-shaped and showed just about everything. It had a crystal belt set just under her breasts, pushing them up even more. The slit on the side went mid-thigh, but the back of the dress was amazing. Well there really wasn't a back. It was open except for the straps that crossed and connected to a slim piece of fabric in the center. I guess that this slim strip was there to hide a bra strap, but I knew Rose wouldn't be wearing one.

"It is perfect." I said looking at her.

"I know, right!" She said then went back in the dressing room to change out of it. "Your turn!" she grinned as she danced out of the fitting room. I didn't even bother arguing.

"Short…definitely do short. Show off those legs." Alice said flipping through.

"Oh and a midnight blue if you can find it. The color sets off her skin tone and eyes beautifully." Rose joined in. I just stood there and waited for my instructions.

"Found it!" Alice yelled jumping up and down. She pulled it off the rack and shoved me into a dressing room with it. After I got it on, I had to admit she was right, she had found it. My mid-night blue strapless, knee length tulle dress fit perfectly and wasn't too short for my liking. The empire waistline really accented my chest and made it possible to go without a bra.

"Well let's see it already Bella." Rose demanded. When I stepped out they both just grinned.

"That's it."

"The boys won't know what hit them when they come to pick the three of us up." Alice added.

"Speaking of the boys…are either of you going to make a move next week? I mean prom would be perfect, right?" I asked. They both just shrugged. "Whatever. So what time are they picking us up?"

"Oh well…we have our hair appointments at nine. Then manis and pedis afterwards. I'll be doing our makeup at our house and then the limo is schedule to pick the boys up at Jasper's at five then come get us. I've schedule thirty minutes for pictures and then it's off to dinner." Alice jumped up and down as she explained the plan. I just nodded.

I really couldn't care less about what the plan was. I was going to prom with Edward.

For the past six months Edward and I continued to keep our relationship a secret. I was getting anxious to make it known, but Edward still seemed content to keep everything the same. I don't understand his thinking for it, but I respected it and didn't push anything.

We really wanted to go to prom together but Edward thought it would look obvious if he and I went just the two of us, so I asked the other four to join as a group. They readily agreed, Emmett and Jasper quicker than I really expected. I assumed I would have to beg them, but they were all about going with us. Jasper even offered up the limo idea.

The actual prom flew by but I distinctly remember having a great time, much better than the year before. Emmett and Rose pretty much stayed together, as did Alice and Jasper. It all just seemed completely right.

For the day after prom, they let me decide where to go. I opted for the two hour drive south to MGM Studios. We took two cars, Edward's Volvo and then Emmett took his Jeep. I rode with Edward while Alice and Rose rode with Emmett and Jasper.

The ride to Orlando was…interesting to say the least. Edward was very quiet. He obviously had something on his mind, but if he wanted to talk about it I knew he would. I still worried though. The night before had been great and then it seemed like overnight everything took a complete turnaround.

By mid-afternoon he had lightened up a little bit and somehow I convinced everyone to get on Tower of Terror. The boys all screamed like little girls while us girls laughed as we dropped the thirteen stories. After we exited the ride, Edward and I hung behind the other four so we could laugh at them having trouble walking. I honestly wasn't paying attention to anything except the two boys in front of me, so when Edward took me by the hand, it surprised me. It was the first time he had done that in public and it made my heart soar. I looked up at him to see him grinning. I smiled back and squeezed his hand. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head right as Emmett stumbled over flat ground and almost feel. Everyone started cracking up at him.

"Shut-up you two!" Emmett yelled back at us. He glanced over his shoulder in our direction and instantly noticed our hands, intertwined. He winked as he turned back forwards but didn't say anything.

I couldn't stop smiling. Edward had finally made his decision. We weren't going to hide anymore. He didn't say anything, but he didn't have to.

Now to just get those others together.


	13. Three Little Words

**A/N: I left work on Friday fully prepared and ready to write all weekend – ultimately giving you two chapters. That was my goal and I was excited about it, however; the plan drastically changed when I went head first into my steering wheel as some bitch slammed in to the car behind me, ultimately slamming in to me. I spent my Friday evening and most of today (Saturday) with a headache that won't quit, a black left eye, and dealing with my insurance company. Life is grand. So…make a long story short, I'm sorry you might not be getting two chapters this weekend. We'll see how my Sunday goes as to whether or not I get the second one out. I really want to but I'm not going to force it otherwise I won't be happy with it. **

**This one is kind of a filler again as we wrap up the junior year of high school and get ready for senior year. I'm ready to get to the meat of the story and the twists and turns that college and adulthood bring our favorite characters. **

**Love you all! Your support is awesome. Hope you enjoy this one too!!!!!!!!!!!! It's pretty short and a quick read. Sorry for that!**

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**Three Little Words**

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"What do you mean you guys are going to Europe for the summer?!" Emmett yelled as we sat around our corner booth at our local pizza parlor. We were celebrating our back to back softball state championships; making it the first time in school history that, not only football did back to back, but that softball joined them.

"Stop freaking out. I'm sure you can find two people to replace us at the store to cover our summer hours." Rose said dismissively.

"I don't care about the store." He mumbled.

"Aww! We'll miss you too Em!" Alice said smiling.

"It's gonna be weird not having you guys around." Jasper added in.

"Yeah! I'm not gonna have my girls around to bitch about the guys to." I laughed. Edward playfully nudged me.

"Yeah but it'll be like old times. Just the four of us, causing trouble in the neighborhood." He said then kissed me. "When do you leave?"

"Two days. We'll be back the week before school starts." Rose said then kind of laughed. "Alice is excited – she'll be celebrating her eighteenth birthday in the fashion capital of the world."

"I'm so treating myself to something really special too." She said with a huge grin on her face.

I'll admit it would be hard to say goodbye to my friends for two months but I was excited about spending all the time with Edward. I knew Jasper and Emmett would probably be spending a lot of time with us too, but they wouldn't bug me about skipping out on "girl time" or anything stupid like that. And the prospect of no shopping trips for the whole of the summer was very enticing. The extra hours at work would suck though. Edward told us that he would just be scheduling us extra time and hiring only one person to cover the missing girls. I was okay with this because I was saving money for a car.

My need for a car was growing greater. Our senior year of high school was starting soon and it wouldn't be too much longer until I was headed off to college. Everyone knows how much a car is needed at college, especially if you're going across the country from where you live.

College is one thing none of us have discussed with each other. I am pretty sure we have all been offered scholarships based on our athletic abilities, but it's like we're all afraid to bring it up with each other.

I received my offer in the mail, and my phone, two days ago. Even though I knew I would be going to UCLA before I got the notice, the full-ride made it that much better. It was a bittersweet moment, because I was pretty positive Edward would not want to go to UCLA to pursue his football. I honestly had no idea where he would be or how far apart we would be. It made me nervous and almost sick to my stomach. The thought of being separated from my soul for four years was devastating but I knew I _had_ to go to UCLA for my softball. It is my only option.

I'm not worrying about this right now. Forget it and celebrate winning another championship with your friends.

"Oh speaking of eighteenth birthdays….what do you want for yours Eddie? It's coming up in a couple of weeks." Emmett said.

"I want you to stop calling me Eddie." He growled.

"Never gonna happen bro." Jasper said laughing.

"I don't want anything. Really. Maybe the four of us can just get together and hang out. Nothing special. No party. I don't want to deal with a ton of people." He said shrugging. "We'll probably be working late that night anyways, we'll need to start backroom inventory for 2nd quarter numbers."

"Quit working." I said before shoving a piece of pizza in his mouth.

---

Two weeks later, as predicted, we were celebrating Edward's birthday by working late and counting out boxes of shirts.

"Why don't you two head on home. Bella and I will finish up here." Edward said to the boys after working an additional two hours.

"You sure?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah. We're almost finished here anyways. Probably only another hour or so. See you tomorrow, right?"

"Yep. Esme made us promise to help you guys move in." Emmett said flexing his muscles. "Said you need some real men to lift the furniture."

Edward threw a shirt at him but was laughing.

"Good night Bella." Jasper said as he hugged me.

"Hey Jazz, can I talk to you for a sec before you leave?"

"Sure" He said so led him away from the other two. "What's up? Everything okay?"

"Yeah everything's great. Just have a question for you." I said. He nodded letting me continue. "I was just wondering when you were gonna get yourself a girl."

He blushed and dropped his head. "Well…I dunno."

"Do you have someone in mind?"

"Why?"

"No reason, just curious. You're really sweet and…okay you're hot. I can say that right? I am one of your best friends." I said laughing.

"Yeah you can say that…thanks by the way."

"You're welcome. I know you've got admirers out there and I'm just wondering why you stay single."

"Just haven't found her."

"What's your style?" I asked shrugging, trying to sound indifferent.

"I dunno. I guess…short, petite, funny, outgoing, athletic, dark hair…piercing grey eyes…she should have amazing smile that brightens up every room and can change your mood in a heartbeat." He said and I saw his eyes glaze over.

"Hmm…so pretty much Alice." I said. His head snapped down to me and he blushed again. "Yeah, you're caught buddy."

"Don't tell her. I don't want her to know."

"Um, yeah, grow some balls Jasper." I said, smacked his back, and then walked away. I wanted to say more to him, but I knew he had to make the decision on his own. My only goal was to get the information from him.

_Goal one completed. Next one – Emmett's turn to admit it. This whole them being gone for the whole summer is going to work out perfectly!_

"What was that all about?" Edward asked me when I got back to him.

"Oh nothing." I said shrugging as I cranked up the radio. He didn't push the subject. I knew he wouldn't. Of course he also knew I would tell him eventually.

We went back to counting for a while until I was brought out of my mindless task by singing. Not just any singing but a beautiful velvety tone. A tone that could only belong to one person. I turned around to see him standing in front of what he was counting singing out loud. He didn't even realize he was doing it. He had no idea I was hearing him. He had no idea how wonderful he sounded.

"I didn't know you could sing." I said walking over to him with an awed expression on my face. He just got so much hotter, if that was possible.

"Eh…I've heard that before." He said uninterested.

"Have you ever thought of pursuing something with that voice?"

"Nope." He said popping the 'p'. "Except maybe singing to you." He said wrapping his arms around my waist then kissing my forehead. I just raised my eyebrows. "Too corny?"

"Pretty corny, but that's why I love you." I said before I could stop myself. It was too late now, the words were out. For a quick second I thought he wasn't going to acknowledge the words. We had never said that to each other, not even in the friend context. This was not said in that context though. I meant it. I've felt it for a while, like years, and I didn't really expect to blurt it out for the first time either. He didn't say anything, but I knew he heard me say it when he gave me that crooked little smile of his. "I love you."

"I love you too." He said and it felt amazing to hear the words come off of his lips. I leaned up and kissed him. I drew his bottom lip into my mouth and sucked lightly on it while I laced my fingers in his hair. He pulled me as close to him as he could get me by placing his hands on my shoulder blades and pushing me against him.

He moaned when I bit lightly on his lip before letting it go. I broke away from his lips and traced his jaw line with kisses before kissing his earlobe. I could feel his hot breath on my neck and then I felt his tongue on it.

"We need to stop or we're gonna give the security team a reason to keep this tape." He whispered in my ear. I chuckled but stopped my attack on his neck and ears.

"One question though…"

"Hmmm…"

"What else don't I know about you? I had no idea you could sing like that. I'm kinda hurt." I pouted.

"If I tell you a secret, can I get one in return?" He asked. I honestly couldn't think of anything I was keeping from him, or what he could possibly think I was keeping from him so I agreed quickly. "Not only can I sing, but I can play the piano and guitar. Emmett and Jasper don't know it yet, but one of the items Mom needs their help moving tomorrow in my piano." He laughed.

"They're gonna hate you."

"Oh well. My turn. What did you tell Jasper tonight before they left?"

I just laughed. I should have known.

"Nothing really. I just asked him why he was still single, if he had a girl in mind, and what type of girl he likes."

"I see." He said but was obviously thinking of something.

"What'cha thinking?"

"Oh…just imagine how he described Alice to you." He said with a devilish grin.

"YOU KNEW!"

"I've known for a while babe. Emmett likes Rose. They told me one of the nights we had a guys' night while you were off with the girls."

---

We moved Edward and his parents into their new home the next day and boy were Emmett and Jasper pissed when they realized they had to help move a piano in. They quickly forgot about that when they helped set up the game room which included a pool table, a card table, an original _The Simpsons_ pinball machine, air hockey, foosball table, huge TV, and six video game counsels.

"I love your house man!" Emmett said as he messed around with the pinball machine.

"Yeah, we are so hanging out over here every day now." Jasper said looking through the video games. And we did exactly that. For the remainder of our summer, if we weren't working or working out, we were at Edward's house.

The girls got back from Europe on a Friday and it was obvious to me that they were missed by more than just me. I thought Jasper was going to squeeze the life out of Alice and Emmett almost made Rose sick by spinning her in so many circles. Both girls just laughed and grinned like idiots.

Alice somehow managed to wink at me and I knew in that instant that it was only a matter of days that she and Jasper are an item.

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**A/N: Yeah so see, quick read, but the next chapter will probably be longer and it will be the first part of their senior year. **

**Do you guys like shorter chapters that get posted quicker or longer chapters with more meat in them, that obviously will get posted less often? Just wondering.**

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	14. Fusion

**A/N: This will probably be what the posting schedule will look like from here on out. Longer chapters, less posting. I will try to get something posted at least once a week (probably on Sundays) but at the very least you will see something every two weeks. **

**This chapter begins on the first day of the group's senior year of high school. Enjoy!**

**Fusion **

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From the moment the six of us stepped into the school, we owned it. This is our year. The freshmen moved out of our way and all but bowed to us; even the teachers and staff moved out of our way.

"Three-peat!" Some random freshman yelled at the three boys.

"Hell yeah!" Emmett yelled back with a pump of his fist.

"Who was that?" Rose asked, Emmett just shrugged then removed his arm from around her shoulders. In the week between the girls coming back from Europe and our first day, the six of us were attached at the hips – more coupled than anything but still we were always together. Alice and Rose still weren't convinced the boys were ready for relationships, which I still didn't fully understand their reasoning on, but I knew I was going to try to talk to the boys.

"Let's do this." I said to Jasper and Emmett. "See ya after class sweetie." I said to Edward then kissed him.

"Have fun, love." He said returning my kiss then walked away with Rose and Alice towards their first class.

"Okay shorty, let's roll." Emmett said as he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

"You are aware I can walk right?" I laughed.

"What fun is that?" Jasper chimed in as we walked into our math class.

"Put Miss Swan down Mr. McCarty." The teacher scolded but was laughing.

"You guys ready for the three-peat?" Another random freshman asked Jasper as the three of us took our customary back row seats.

"You know it." Jasper said.

"Everyone is excited to find out where _The Power Trio_ is headed for college though. You guys decide yet?"

Local reporters had begun calling my three boys _The Power Trio_. I personally thought it was highly unoriginal but that's what everyone knew them by and they seemed to enjoy the acknowledgement. The talk of every college watch column and show was where _The Trio_ would be going for college. All three were undecided. I had a gut feeling it had more to do with a certain three other people but didn't want to sound cocky, especially since the two boys weren't even dating the two girls.

I decided to settle that issue immediately and I knew one way for sure to get those two boys off their butts and say something. Insult them.

_You know you're a pussy, right?_

I wrote on two separate pieces of paper and passed one to Jasper and one to Emmett. Not surprisingly it took less than a second for them to respond. I got two notes thrown on my desk at the same time. The first one I read was from Jasper.

_I am not. To prove it – I'll tell her today._

One down – one to go.

_So not true and you damn know it. It's on._

Two down.

The determination on both of their faces was priceless.

I didn't see anyone else until lunch – it made for a very long morning. Edward met me outside my class and walked us to the cafeteria.

"What are you all smiles about? My morning sucked ass." He said as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

"Oh just curious to see how something is going to work out." I said with a grin.

"What are you up to?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"Just wait." I said as we got our food. Alice and Rose were both already at the table when we sat down.

"Hi!" Alice practically screamed as she bounced around.

"Hey Ali." Edward laughed.

"I think the three of us should go shopping tonight. What do you girls think?" I asked knowing that they wouldn't turn down shopping for anything.

"Bella Swan _wants_ to go shopping? What has the world come to?" Rose laughed.

"Funny. So?"

"Oh…well I can't go. I have…huh…plans." Rose said then blushed. She actually blushed.

"Um, yeah…me too actually." Alice said ducking her head.

_Sweet! The boys grew some!_

"Really? What?"

"I don't know about Rosie, but I have dinner plans…with Jazzy." Alice said with a huge grin.

"Interesting." Edward commented noticed my facial expression which showed no sign of surprise.

"And Rose?" I asked.

"Emmett…uh…he asked if I wanted to go out and then maybe talk about…uh…us."

"About damn time." Edward huffed.

"No shit." I laughed as the other boys finally sat down.

---

"Hey Bella, can I talk to you for a second?" Esme asked me while I was helping her make dinner for everyone.

"Of course." I said as I made the sauce for the pasta.

"Well, Carlisle and I are concerned about Edward…"

"What? Why? What's…"

"Calm down sweetie." She laughed. "It's just that he needs to be making a decision about college and very soon, but he hasn't even come close to deciding and he won't talk to either of us about it. He gets very irritated when we bring it up. We don't want him to miss out on…"

"I understand Esme. You know neither Jazz or Em have decided yet either."

"Well they're more decided than Edward. They know they're headed to the west coast. Edward knows nothing." She said then let out a heavy sigh.

"I'll talk to him." I said giving her a small smile.

Timing was everything with this conversation. I had to make sure he was in a good mood so I decided to broach the subject at dinner after they won Regional's. The team was well on their way to that three-peat everyone had been talking about so I knew he was beyond elated.

"So…" I began obviously not really wanting to say what I was about to say. Edward caught my mood instantly.

"What?"

"Have you decided?"

I didn't have to elaborate any further than that. He knew exactly what I was talking about. More recruiters had been at the game this evening and they had talked to him, but he hadn't given them any answers. He dropped his fork onto his plate and stared at me.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I just don't know, okay?"

"Doubtful. Why are you dragging your feet? I know you want to go to college and play ball." I said then sighed. "This better not be about academic…"

"I do want to play college ball and I'm not worried about my grades."

"Then what's the issue? You need to make a decision before it's too late."

He looked at me for a second, just staring at me. I began preparing for the explosion. I watched his brilliant green eyes turn dark and I knew it was only a matter of seconds.

"You." He finally said. "You're my issue. I know you have millions of scholarship offers on the table that you're not telling anyone about. I have to know where you're going first before I make my decision. I refuse to go to one coast and you go to the other. I'm not deciding because I don't know where you're going."

"Edward Anthony Cullen…you cannot put your future in the hands of my decision. You have to go to the school that's best for you."

"But don't you see? The best school for me is wherever you're at. You know I love football, but I don't plan on going pro. I don't want any of that. I just want to get a degree so I can provide for us after college." He said calming down but then all of a sudden his demeanor changed drastically. "Wait. Why are you all over my ass about deciding when _you_ haven't even made a decision?"

His stare was too intense. I couldn't look at him so I just hung my head.

"Wow…I'm so blind sometimes." He laughed without humor.

"Edward I…I wanted to tell you when I made the deal but I didn't want you to go where I'm going just to go where I'm going. I wanted you to make your own decision based on what's best for you."

"How long have you known where you're going?"

"A while." I admitted.

"Well…you've got to tell me now and then I'll know where I'm going." He said taking my hand. "Bella, I want to be where ever you are. Period."

"UCLA." I simply said. He nodded and smiled.

"UCLA, it is."

The next day we were all at Edward's watching the football games when Edward brought up that he had decided where he was going to college. I thought the boys were going to jump through the ceiling when he told them UCLA. Rose and Alice just nodded in agreement. It didn't take long for the news that the three of them had decided on UCLA. When the news broke that the three of them were going there, it wasn't long until the papers found out Alice, Rose, and I were all going as well. UCLA's football and softball programs were instantly on the watch list for the following season. It was flattering to think that our attendance was that big of a deal but very nerve racking at the same time; a ton of pressure

What really got us going was how much fun the six of us would be having in college. I was pretty sure we would be flunking out rather quickly.

That next Saturday was the State Tournament. The team was now undefeated in regular season games all four years we were in high school – a feat never before accomplished at our school. Everyone was nervous about winning state – the third straight title would also be a first for the school. It was a close game, but we clinched the win on an interception. I instantly ran on to the field and up to Edward, practically attacking him as I threw my arms around him and wrapping my legs around him. I was finally able to celebrate with him the way I always wanted to be able to – with a kiss.

"Don't you care that I'm all sweaty?" He laughed. I raised an eyebrow.

"Like I've ever cared if you were sweaty." I said then kissed him again.

Rose and Alice joined us on the field and were picked up by the boys for celebratory kisses. I was never happier than I was in that moment. I think everyone felt the same feeling as the six of us just kind of stood there smiling at each other.

"Congrats kids!" Renee yelled as she ran up to the boys effectively pulling us all out of our trance. I subtly winked at Coach who had walked up to us too.

"Thanks Ms Swan!" Jasper said hugging her.

"How many times must I tell you to call me Renee…" She said but trailed off when she turned around to see Phil on one knee right at the fifty yard line. "Oh shit."

We all laughed and waited for the words to come out of Phil's mouth.

"Renee Elizabeth Swan…will you marry me?"

"Of course!" She yelled through her tears as Phil put the ring on her finger. After she hugged and kissed him she turned to me. Edward let his grip on me go so I could hug my mother.

"Congrats, Mom." I said.

"Did you know?"

"He asked my permission." I laughed then went back to Edward's arms. As my friends took their turn wishing them luck and congratulating them, I stared at Edward.

I wanted…no I needed alone time with Edward. It was something that, surprisingly, we don't get much of.

"Take me home?" I asked him. He nodded then headed towards the locker room with the others to get ready.

"So…you and Edward going to spend some time alone tonight?" Alice asked me.

"Yes. Are you and Jasper?"

"I know Emmett and I are." Rose laughed.

---

"Wow, I can't believe your mom's not home yet." Edward said when we pulled up to my building.

"Did you really expect her to be here?" I asked trying not to laugh. I of course had thought about this.

"Oh yeah." He said finally getting the obvious. "They're _celebrating_." He said then winked.

"Come on, dork." I said as I got out of his car and headed inside. He quickly followed and then when I opened the door he walked in and flopped down on the couch with his arms resting behind his head. I could feel his stare on my back as I locked the door but I didn't say anything. I was too nervous to say anything.

"You're next."

"Next for what?" I asked a little surprised. Did he mean that I was the next to be _celebrating_? Man did I want that to be what he meant.

"Three in a row. What else?" He said smiling. He knew exactly where my thoughts went. I wanted to tell him but I wasn't sure how to. It was times like this that I was glad Edward could read every emotion and thought that passed on my face.

He stood up and walked slowly over to where I was standing. I was a complete statue, unable to move even the slightest bit. I only moved when he took me by my hands and pulled me closer to his body. He took one of his hands and lightly caressed my cheek then leaned in very slowly to lightly press his lips against mine.

"I love you." He murmured before kissing me again only this time it was a passionate kiss. A kiss indicating he knew exactly what I wanted him to know.

He knew I was ready.

"I love you." I said back as I ran my fingers through his still slightly wet hair. He picked me up and carried me to my room where he gently laid me down on my bed, never breaking eye contact.

"Do you know how much I need you?"

It was a rhetorical question because before I could answer his lips were crushed against mine again.

I can honestly say I don't know how much he needs me but I sure as hell know how much I need him. I told him how much through my kisses, my touches, my moans.

Have you ever wondered the best way to describe bliss? Well, it's waking up in the arms of the man you love.

"Morning beautiful." He said kissing my forehead.

"Good morning." I said then snuggled closer to him.

"Bella, can I just tell you that last night was a dream come true for me. My life will never be more perfect than it was last night and this morning."

"I love you Edward Cullen."

"As I do you, Isabella Swan."

"We should get up and call the troops. I think Ali is busting at the seams to talk about our spring break plans."

"Ugh…can't we just stay in bed all day?" He whined as he nibbled on my ear.

"Oh I wish we could but…" I said but was interrupted by phone ringing. "There's the pixie devil now." I said as I reached for my phone. "What Ali?"

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything." She sang.

"As a matter of fact…"

"Good. Any ways, we're all gonna be over at your place in an hour to talk about Miami! I'm so excited."

"Ali…can't this wait? We still have five months until spring…"

"Nope! See you soon." She said then hung up the phone.

"How long do we have?" Edward asked.

"An hour." I said.

"Good…that gives us time." He said as he rolled over on top of me.

---

"How much crap are you taking?!" Emmett yelled as Rose and Alice brought their four suitcases _a piece_ out of their house at seven in the morning on Saturday, our first day of spring break freedom.

"Good thing we're taking two cars." Edward mumbled in my ear causing me to laugh. Alice narrowed her eyes at us and glared. I stopped laughing and hung my head.

"Well we need to make sure we have outfits to choose from, shoes to go with all the possibilities, of course our bathing suits and make up and…" Rose started explaining as they loaded the luggage.

"Rose…we get it." Jasper laughed.

"Bella how much did you bring? Did you pack everything we told you?" Alice asked.

"No. I have one suitcase for all my stuff…"

"As assumed so one of our suitcases, each, has stuff for you." Alice chirped.

"You've got to be kidding me." I moaned as I sat down in Edward's Volvo.

Five hours later we pulled up in the driveway of the condo we were renting for the whole week. It was on the beach in a private, gated community. It has three bedrooms, three baths, a huge living area, wet bar (which we were able to get fully stocked with some convincing from Rose and Alice). And direct access to the private beach only open to residents of the neighborhood. It was beautiful and we have it for a full week.

"PAR-TAY!" Emmett yelled as we walked in the front door.

"Hell yeah!" Edward said as he went off to the claim the master bedroom for the two of us.

"I still can't believe our parents agreed to let us do this for our spring break. I mean, they're trusting us to be alone without adult supervision and sharing a bedroom for a week." I laughed.

"And we are so going to take advantage of that." He said as he picked me up and threw me on the bed causing me to giggle. He started kissing my neck and my giggles quickly turned into moans.

"Eww…gross you guys. If you're gonna start going at it, at least shut the bedroom door first." Jasper said.

"Stupid prick." Edward mumbled in my ear before turning his head towards Jazz. "What do you want Jasper?"

"Oh nothing. The girls just wanted to tell Bells to put her black bikini on and join them on the beach. And no, you don't have a choice in this matter."

"I know." I said as I pushed Edward off of me and rolled off the bed. "Tell them I'll be there in a minute."

---

"We're going shopping today." Rose said Monday morning poking her head in the bedroom.

"I'm not." I said curling up closer to Edward.

"Fine. We'll be back later." She said then walked away.

"I love that girl." I said and Edward chuckled.

"So what are you going to do today if you're not going shopping?"

"Hang on the beach all day. Probably head out there in a few minutes actually." I said noticing the time was almost ten in the morning. I got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom to change into my bathing suit. When I reappeared Edward had fallen back asleep.

Emmett and Jasper were both still asleep as well so I just went out to the beach by myself to enjoy the warmth and quietness of the private beach.

I had been laying there for about an hour when I felt the presence of someone else. I assumed it was Edward so I smiled and turned my head to the side. I did not see who I expected.

"Um hello?" I said coming out more like a question. I was so consumed with the fact that Jacob Black – _the_ Jacob Black from the rock band Wolf Pack was sitting on the beach next to me. Talking to me. His Native American roots very evident with his jet black hair, dark brown eyes, and russet skin. His tall and muscular body was beautiful. I couldn't deny that he was handsome. He flashed a blinding white smile at me and laughed.

"Hello."

I had no idea what to say to him. It might have helped if I knew _why_ he was sitting next to me, talking to me.

"So…how are you?" I finally asked sounding skeptical and nervous even though I tried not to.

"Can't complain at all. How about you?"

"Fine. Thank you." I said raising an eyebrow at him, waiting for him to say something else. "Name's Bella."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jacob."

I wanted to say 'no shit Sherlock.' "Yes I know." I said then waited again. This was ridiculous. "What can I do for you?"

"Oh nothing. I just thought I would sit down next to the beautiful woman lying all by herself. Say hi, and keep you company."

"Um thank you. So are you here on vacation?"

"Yes and no. Currently, yes. Tomorrow, no." He said vaguely. I raised my eyebrow silently asking him to explain further. "I'm filming a new movie and wrapping up recording a guest spot on something. I have a break today."

"I see."

"So do you live in one of these condos?"

"Nope. Here on vacation with my boyfriend and some friends for spring break."

"Oh so you're still in school." He said not acknowledging the fact that I have a boyfriend. The fact that I said boyfriend and he didn't register it was either a bad sign or a good sign and I couldn't decide which one it was, but I was leaning towards that he really did just want to keep my company. Not that I wanted any – although not that I was complaining that Jacob Black was conversing with me.

"High school." I finally said.

"Really?" he asked surprised.

"Really." I said laughing at his expression. "We're all seniors this year and then we'll be heading to UCLA. The boys are going for football and us girls are going for softball."

"Very nice. So you're pretty good then? At softball I mean?"

"She's the best." Edward's velvety smooth voice rang out as he walked up to us. I turned and smiled at him, glad to see him.

"Hi sweetie." I said as he handed me a bottle of water. I smiled bigger at the fact that he thought to bring me water.

"I'm Edward, Bella's _boyfriend_." He said stressing the word boyfriend. I laughed at his tense expression.

"Nice to meet you. I'm…"

"I know who you are." Edward said as he sat down on the other side of me.

"Oh relax Edward. Jacob was just keeping me company for a little bit. I looked bored apparently." I said shrugging.

"Yep that's the truth. Now that you're here, I'll be on my way." He said then stood up. "It was a pleasure to meet you Bella, Edward. Good luck next year at UCLA." He said then walked away.

As soon as he turned away I playfully shoved Edward's shoulder.

"What was that for?"

"Why'd ya run him off?"

"He was hitting on you _and you_ were flirty with him."

"Oh I was not flirty with him." I said smiling. "I was just being nice. He is Jacob Black. I was trying to befriend him…for your benefit." I said and he just looked at me. "You know, I thought he might come in handy one day when you decide to pursue that singing career of yours."

"Whatever…and I'm not pursuing it."

"Yes you are." I said then kissed him and laid back down.

"Am not." He said like a two year old as he laid back as well. I turned to look at him but he just looked the other direction knowing I was right.


	15. A Big Change

**A/N: Don't really have anything to say this time so...enjoy and as always thanks for reading and thanks for sharing your thoughts with me.**

* * *

**A Big Change**

* * *

"Number two-five-seven-one, you're next." A tense voice called out over the microphone.

"That's you babe." I said smiling towards him. "Good luck. I love you." I finished then gave him a quick kiss.

I watched him walk towards the double doors and the closer he got, the faster my heart started beating. I could only imagine the kind of nerves he was experiencing. Of course, it probably didn't help that the air conditioning had broken about four hours ago and the repairmen couldn't get it figured out. It was a blistering July day, in Jacksonville, so you know the temperature was reaching almost one hundred and I was surrounded by at least a couple thousand people.

While I waited for him to return, I thought back over the past couple of months. I had to laugh when I remembered how drunk Emmett got on graduation night.

"Wez gots to celebrate ours high schoo grad…uation…bros." He said as he attempted to pour another shot for himself.

"Em honey, I think you've had quite enough." Rose said.

"Rosie's right Em." I said taking the bottle away from him.

"Oh come on Miss Val…uh whatever it was you were. Ya know ya gave the sweet ass speech…what's it called again Eddie?"

"She was our Valedictorian, you drunk ass and do not call me Eddie…for the billionth time tonight."

"Sounds like someone needs to get laid." Emmett said causing Jasper, Alice, and Rose to howl.

"Actually he got that right before the graduation ceremony." I said taking the shot from Emmett leaving his mouth wide open.

"Rosie…baaabyyyy….why'd Ed get some and I didn't?" Emmett whined.

"Because it would have messed up my hair." She deadpanned.

I was brought back to my current inferno that was normally called the convention center by someone calling out my name.

"Bella Swan? Is there a Bella…?" Some strawberry blonde shouted from the double doors that Edward had disappeared into just a minute earlier.

"That's me." I said standing up. She gave me a quick once over and I felt my anger rise up before her appreciative smile and nod relaxed me.

"Please come with me. The judges want to talk to you."

"Um okay." I said hesitantly before walking through the doors. I was immediately greeted by a grinning Edward looking beyond ecstatic holding his hand out towards me. I happily took it even though I still had no idea why I was being called into his audition.

"This is why I'm here." Edward finally said facing the three judges.

"Well, I do believe America owes you a debt of gratitude." Robbie, the judge on the left said smiling.

"Um okay?" I said still utterly confused.

"Well, Edward here told us that he wouldn't have decided to come here to audition if he didn't have your support…and the swift kick in the ass he received." Paige, the only female judge said laughing.

"Actually Emmett's the one that kicked his butt. I just threatened it."I said laughing. "I still don't understand why I'm…"

"Simple, we wanted to meet you. He said your name about twenty times in the span of a few minutes. We were curious." Samuel said grinning at me.

"So…."

"Oh of course. Welcome to Hollywood man!" Robbie yelled as the other two clapped.

"Thank you so much! You won't regret this decision one bit. I promise." Edward said as he dragged me to the table to shake their hands.

An hour later everyone in our phones had been called.

As soon as we received the news that Edward would be going to Hollywood to compete further in the competition, my brain went into overdrive. Of course, I instantly thought about what all of this would mean if he was successful with this. His, our lives, would be totally turned upside down. I knew for a fact that he would quit college if it looked like the singing thing was going to work out, but I also knew for a fact that I would not quit so I would not be traveling with him. We would not see each other much. Our relationship would be put to the test and I would have to push aside all of my insecurities to deal with it. I would have to be the supportive, understanding, trusting girlfriend that he would need. And he would be a star.

Really this shouldn't be all that difficult. I'm thrilled he's getting the opportunity and will definitely support him through the whole thing. I'd like to think I know Edward well enough to know how well he'll take the sudden stardom that will unquestionably go with the territory. And this fact has me undoubtedly acting as the supportive girlfriend.

The six of us packed up our stuff at the beginning of August and started the cross-country journey to the west coast. I was the only one hitching a ride with someone else so we had a trail of five cars keeping together – all of which loved to drive fast. It only took us two days to make the trip, for which I was grateful. I know if I ever decide to go cross- country again it will be by airplane.

As incoming freshman we had to setup shop in dorms. Alice and Rose managed to be roommates just down the hall from me. I was lucky to be paired with a girl named Angela and found her to be really nice. She was already setup when we got there so she helped me get settled while talking about her home town of San Francisco.

The boys charmed their way into a room for three so they were all sharing. Their dorm was in the same building as ours but two floors up.

It felt like we were only there a day when the boys started football practice. Us girls were there watching and cheering – and criticize the whole time. We mainly took jabs at the cheerleaders the whole time, but I did get on the coaches a few times.

"So what are you all majoring in?" Angela asked as we walked back from the practice.

"All the guys are doing Physical Education." Alice answered. "I'm majoring in Management with a minor in Art. I want to start a fashion line." She said doing her typical bounce.

"She's really excited about it, if you can't tell." Rose laughed. "I'm majoring in Bio-Chemistry, but really my heart lies with cars."

"Wow. Never would have thought that." Angela said.

"There's a lot you wouldn't think about us. I'm a Secondary Education major, focus in English. I'm a nerd." I laughed.

"Those are all so cool! I'm just pre-law."

"That's some tuff shit though." Rose said.

"Glad we know a lawyer though! You never know when you might need one." Alice chimed in.

Classes started the next week and while the boys took a light schedule, us girls packed on the credits. It made for a stressful semester but a fast semester. For which we were all thankful for. Christmas break was the only time the boys had free from football or classes so we all took the opportunity to catch up with each other – unfortunately since the boys did so well that season we didn't have time to fly home for the holiday. We all stayed so they could compete New Year's Day in a bowl game.

When they won the whole campus partied. It was the first time UCLA football had ever won a National title and the offensive line was to thank for that.

After the excitement of the win wore off, Edward starting practicing for "Hollywood Week" on _The Next Big Thing_.

I spent most of my time at the theater with Edward while he went through the next round of competition. It was obvious to everyone that Edward was the one to beat. The judges made no bones that he was their favorite – and neither did the girls that were always around him.

That would be something I knew I would have to work on too – my jealousy. When this career choice of his would take off, not only did I know I would I have to deal with less time with him, I was going to have to try and deal with groupie whores hanging on him.

_Like the one that's all over him right now_…

"Hello. I'm Bella. Edward's girlfriend. And you are?" I said when I approached the two of them. I heard Edward chuckle as he wrapped his arm around my waist.

"I'm Tanya." She said in a voice that could only be described as nails on a chalkboard. I literally cringed causing Edward to laugh again.

"Well it's nice to meet you, but if you don't mind I'm going to be stealing Edward away from this no doubt very intelligent conversation so I can make him forget how to speak." I said winking at her then grabbed Edward's hand and walking away.

"Um babe…that was…it was…um…hot." Edward stumbled through his words as we walked towards his car.

"Just you wait."I purred as I pulled him into the backseat of his car. I was in the middle of proving my point when his damn cell phone rang. The caller ID flashing "Home." I rolled my eyes but pulled myself off of him.

"Hello…hey pops…um…" He hesitated and I could hear screaming coming from the other side of the phone but couldn't make out the rush of words. "So you talked to Coach…its true…"

"YOU FUCKING QUIT SCHOOL!?! GOD DAMN-IT EDWARD! YOU'RE THROWING YOUR…"

"It's my decision, Carlisle. I don't want…"

"YOU LISTEN TO ME EDWARD ANTHONY…"

"No you listen to me. I don't want to play football forever and I can't screw up this opportunity. I can always go back to school later. It's not like we can't afford…"

"IT'S NOT THE POINT…" Carlisle was still screaming but it sounded like he was cut off in the middle.

"Yes Mom. I know I should have talked to you and dad first but…I'm nineteen and I can't do school, football, and this competition. If I quit football, I lose my scholarship and there for school anyways so I just quit after we won the title." He said then paused glancing up at me looking for some sort of reaction but I had nothing. This was the first I heard of him quitting school. Not that I didn't expect it, because I certainly did but I thought he would wait until he got further into the competition. He wasn't even in the top twenty-four yet for crying out loud! "No Mom, Bella didn't know of my decision…Yes. I've still been staying with Jazz and Em in the dorm…No, I will stay there until I make the next round and move into the house…probably the end of March…I don't need any money to…I'm fine, love you too."

"You quit school!?!" I yelled as soon as he hung up his phone.

"I was going to tell you tonight at dinner. I just did it last week but haven't been able to figure out how to tell you." He said looking down at his lap like a two year old who just got scolded.

_Great now I feel like shit…_

"Edward, look at me." I said and he slowly complied. "I understand why you did it and I've told you before that I support you one hundred percent through this whole thing. It just…caught me off guard a little. I was expecting this to happen later. I wasn't prepared that's all."

"You knew I would quit school?"

"Of course I did silly. I know you better than you know yourself. I knew you would choose singing over football or a degree…eh although a degree would be nice to fall back on once your career ends."

"By then I'll have enough money that I won't need the scholarship to go…"

"You didn't need the scholarship now." I laughed. "I'm the only one who needed my damn scholarship…which reminds me I have to study for a couple tests." I said climbing into the front seat.

"Aren't you going to finish what you started?" He asked dejectedly.

"Later player." I laughed. He mumbled something about "Eve and the devil reincarnate" but I ignored him.

---

Edward easily made it into the top twenty-four and onto the TV shows from there it was a whirlwind of craziness.

Top Ten

Top Five

Top Two

The final show was upon us. Carlisle and Esme came in from Jacksonville. Hell even Renee and Phil showed up. Jasper, Emmett, Rose, Alice, and I all we front in center for the results.

The past month and half has been insane to say the least. I was at every show taping and results, putting school and softball on the back burning. Luckily softball games were on the weekends and I had scheduled a lighter semester so it wasn't like I was jeopardizing my academic career for my boyfriend's singing career.

"And this year's _Next Big Thing_ is….okay well first I'd like to congratulate both of you for making it this far. The amount of talent on this stage is unbelievable." Rick, the host, announced bringing me back to the anxiety that was the announcement of the winner. The pause that he created felt like an eternity. I'm pretty sure if he hadn't announced the winner the very next second, every single one of my fingernails was going to be gone. "Edward Cullen!" He finally yelled.

The shock on Edward's face and his freak out was by far the cutest thing I had ever seen. It was clear that Edward was heading towards the edge of the stage to jump off, but Rick grabbed his arm and kept him from coming towards his friends and family.

I was pissed.

"Congrats man." Rick said.

"I can't freaking believe this! Thank you all so much. This is amazing!" he said catching his breath but never taking his eyes off of me.

"We wanna hear ya one more time." Rick said handing Edward a microphone then stepping away.

That night was the first night I was able to spend with Edward since the top ten was announced. It was a short-lived happiness. He left the next morning at eight to catch a flight to New York to start appearances, recordings, and photo shoots.

---

"Damn-it Emmett! Be careful with that." Rose yelled as Emmett dropped a box onto the floor of our living room.

"Well damn Rosie, if it wasn't two hundred pounds I wouldn't have dropped it. What the hell do you have in there anyways? Bricks?" He said wiping his brow.

"Those are my shoes."

"Just your shoes!?" He said with his eyes wider than possible. I just laughed as I unpacked our recently bought kitchen items.

"Jazz honey…" Alice sang from her bedroom. Jasper was in the kitchen with me and when he heard Alice he just rolled his eyes but went back there.

_She likes to shake her ass_

_She grinds it to the beat_

_She likes to pull my hair_

_When I make her grind her teeth_

"Eddie's calling!" Emmett yelled as he bounded into the kitchen.

"Hey babe." I said answering rolling my eyes at Emmett.

"Hey." He answered cheerfully but obviously tired. "How's move-in going?"

"Oh great. We just dropped the last box on the floor." I said winking at Emmett. "We're going to get a few things settled then we have softball practice for the big game this weekend."

"Are you going to miss dorm life?" He chuckled.

"Um…no. I'm so glad we only had to suffer through for our freshman year…and that Rose and Ali have the means to support my broke ass."

"Only because we love you!" Alice yelled from her bedroom.

"And you're working your rent off in cooking." Rose added in.

"Apparently I'm their little woman though." I said to Edward.

"You like taking care of them. Don't even lie."

"True. So what's going on? Are you going to make it to the championship game next week?"

"Oh I wish I could sweetie. I just don't think recording will be in a stopping place. I want to so bad. I miss you so much."

"I miss you more."

"Ha..doubtful. Very doubtful. I do have to go though. I just wanted to tell you that I love you."

"Okay. Love you too. Bye."

"Bye." He said then hung up.

"So is he gonna be able to come to the game next week?" Jasper asked.

"Nope." I said going back to working in the kitchen before heading to my room to get everything unpacked there.

---

"_We are the champions…we are the champions…no time for losers…" _Alice sang as we walked back to our house after winning the national title in softball.

"_Because we are the champions…of the world!" _Rose joined in.

"You guys are idiots." I laughed.

"Oh lighten up and get ready to par-tay!" Alice said jumping onto my back.

"I don't believe I told you I would give you a piggy back ride pixie." I said.

"Um but you are." She said still laughing.

"Would you two hurry up?! Emmett and Jasper are waiting at the frat house for us. We still have to shower and change and…" Rose said as she clearly started to freak out about all we still had to do.

"Breathe Rose. We'll be there before everyone is expecting us." I said as I unlocked our door.

I was right. We showed up at eight, a good hour before anyone else was due to show up. It was pretty obvious Rose wanted to get there earlier to have private time with Emmett because they disappeared the second we walked through the door. It wasn't a few minutes later that Alice disappeared too.

"Well this is just freaking fabulous." I mumbled as I started rummaging through the refrigerator for beer. I no sooner popped the topped when my phone started ringing. A smile crept up on my face.

"Hey sweetie." I said.

"Congratulations, love." Edward said.

"Thank you. Did you get to see any of the games?"

"Just today's. I stopped the recording session to watch it." He laughed. "You girls were awesome. The game was great."

"Alice sure shocked the hell out of everybody with that homerun." I said taking a swig of my beer.

"So are you all celebrating tonight?"

"Yep…the girls have already started and are upstairs with the boys. I'm just chilling waiting on the other guests to show up." I said trying not to let my sadness seep into my voice. As much as I was happy that we won, I wasn't in the mood to celebrate since Edward wasn't with me. Of course, having Rose and Alice openly celebrating with their boyfriends at the moment wasn't helping my mood. I shouldn't be mad at them and I was trying damn hard not to be jealous of them, but I was.

"I'm sorry honey. I wish I could be there with you."

I sighed loudly before speaking again. "When am I going to get to spend time with you? I know it's only been about a month since you won and I understand your schedule is ridiculous but…"

"Soon. Very very soon. Like next week soon. I'm scheduled to be in LA for a photo shoot for some magazine I've never heard of and I've made it abundantly clear that I will be making time for you…alone time." He said and I couldn't help but giggle and feel the excitement build up in me.

"Seriously?!"

"Dead serious."

"I'm so happy! I can't wait for next week now. When are you going…?"

"Now that I'm not sure of yet. It all depends on how long the photo shoot lasts, but I know your schedule so I'll make sure it all works out."

"Okay." I said as the door bell rang.

"Oh I guess I'll let you go so you can start your party. Don't do anything I wouldn't and I'll see you soon."

"Okay. Love you."

"Ditto." He said then hung up.

The other four came running down the stairs at the sound of the door bell and I told them the good news about Edward coming to visit. They instantly started planning a party for the next weekend.

My summer courses started on Monday which I was thankful for because it helped take my mind off of waiting for Edward to show up. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday flew by but without word from Edward. I didn't even know if he actually made it into town yet.

"Hey so what are you doing?" Rose asked when I answered my phone on Thursday afternoon.

"Well right now, just leaving my Intro to Psych. Why? What's up?"

"What about tonight?"

"Hmmm not sure yet…I don't really wanna leave the house though just incase Edward shows up though."

"Still haven't heard anything from him huh?"

"No." I said depressed about it.

"Well if he doesn't show up tonight by nine, come on over to the frat house. The boys are hosting a Rock Band tournament or some shit like that. Ali and I would _love_ for you to be able to keep us company."

"We'll see. I'll call before I show up…if I decide to."

"Yeah sure. Later." She said then hung up as I attempted to get our mail out of the mailbox.

"Freaking stupid mailman…shoving big ass things down into the little…" I grumbled as I attempted to straighten out Rose's Vogue so she wouldn't go postal (for a like of better words). I almost dropped everything in my hands when I walked into the house though. All the lights were off, but the living room was alit with at least a hundred white candles and the smell of an amazing dinner was floating in the air.

"Um…hello?" I asked peeking around the corner into the kitchen. No one was there, but I was pretty sure I knew who was behind this and that Rose and Alice had their hands into it as well. "Edward?" I asked looking back around into the living room.

_Where the hell is he?_ I thought as I started walking down the hall towards the bedrooms. I had taken about five steps towards my room when two strong arms wrapped around my waist. I felt his lips brush against my neck and run up my jaw towards my ear. His soft breath made me shiver.

"Hello my love." He whispered as he ran his hands down my sides, causing me to shiver yet again. "Why don't you put your stuff down and join me in the dinning room." He murmured then placed a kissed on my neck just below my ear before walking away leaving me stunned in the hallway.

I took deep breaths and collected myself before placing all my stuff on my desk and slowly walking towards the dinning room. I know it's just Edward waiting on me, but I'm nervous. It's more excitement nerves than nervous nerves though.

When I finally walked into the dinning room, I saw a candle light dinner set up.

"Did you cook this?"

"Of course. It's not much though…I don't want us to be too full for dessert." He said with a devilish grin. "Its herb encrusted chicken with a light lemon pepper sauce served with steamed vegetables."

"It smells delicious." I said as he pulled out my chair. "Thank you."

"I want tonight to be perfect." He said then went and sat down across from me.

"How long are you here?"

"Still Sunday morning. Rose and Alice will be staying at the frat house tonight. We're partying with everyone tomorrow night and then the six of us are doing something Saturday night…if that's okay with you?"

"Sounds perfect." I said smiling.

"Before I forget also, after I leave on Sunday you're going shopping with Alice and Rose."

"Why?" I asked almost choking on my wine.

"You need to find a suitable outfit for the MTV Video Music Awards in September and you know as soon as I mentioned it to Alice she wanted to start shopping around on Sunday. It's my fault. I shouldn't have said anything until closer to time but…"

"Wait…I'm going to the VMA's?"

"Well yeah. I'm going so of course you're going with me." He laughed at my expression.

"I'm super excited! This is awesome!" I said giddy.

"You're too adorable." He said as he stared at me. I couldn't ignore the love and desire that shone through his eyes. "Are you finished with your dinner?"

I was still hungry but no longer hungry for food so nodded my head and took the last sip of wine from my glass.

"Good." He said as he stood up and walked over to my side of the table again. Before I knew what was going on he had pulled my chair out and swept me up into his arms.

"Oh!" I said in surprise. "Is it time for dessert then?" I asked as I nibbled on his ear and down his jaw line. His only response was a throaty moan.

"Bella, I want to make love to you and plan on doing so all night. Hope you weren't expecting on sleeping anytime soon."

"Sleep doesn't fit into my plans either, Edward."


	16. Adjustments

**A/N: I've kind of got off my attempted posting schedule. Looks like my chapters are just going to get posted when I get to them, but I promise to try and keep it at every two weeks **_**at the longest**_**. **

**This is not as long as I wanted it to be but if I had continued it into the next setting, it wold have been way too long so I decided to stop it short. Hope you enjoy it anyways. :-)**

**Adjustments**

* * *

"Mary Alice Brandon. No." I huffed throwing my arms in the air and walking away from her. This didn't stop her from yelling after me. I couldn't care less – my day had been shit and her nagging was not helping.

The rest of my time with Edward went by way too fast and unfortunately most of the time we had together he was on the phone with his PR person and or his manager. I didn't even get a proper goodbye earlier this morning. He woke me up after he had already packed and was ready to walk out the door.

"My car's here. I have to go." He said kissing my forehead.

"Already? It's still dark outside."

"Yes it's four. Go back to sleep. I'll call you later tonight as soon as a get a chance. Good luck with Alice and Rose today."

"Ugh…I forget you're forcing me into shopping with the devils themselves."

"I really am sorry about that, but you can yell at me later. I'm really late right now." He said then kissed me. "Good bye Bella."

"Bye Edward." I said then drifted back to sleep before I even heard the front door close.

I slept for a few more hours before the bouncing hell called Alice jumped on my bed waking me up. They eventually pulled me out of bed, into the shower, and then into Alice's car. Which is how I currently got to the store I'm currently in, looking at an outfit that Alice swears is perfect for the awards show.

"There's nothing to it." I protested further.

"It covers you." Rose chimed in.

"Barely."

"That's the point. Edward told us to make sure he gets to show you off."

"Can't he show me off in some jeans and a…"

"No he can't. You're getting this. End. Of. Discussion." She demanded as she stomped her little stiletto clad foot.

"I'll try it on. If I feel I look like a whore…"

"Go!" Rose and Alice both yelled as Rose shoved me into the dressing room with the offending articles of fabric.

A few minutes later I was staring at my reflection in slight disbelief. The shorts really were too short but amazingly my butt didn't hang out of the bottom. The black corset top had red roses embroidered on it and was actually really cute. The cleavage action I got was insane, but most of my shirts showed some of that.

"Oh. My. God. It's perfect!!!" Alice squealed when I stepped out.

"You do realize that since we found the perfect outfit on our first trip out, you two now have no excuses to get me to go out shopping with you anymore." I said smugly.

"Um…still have to find shoes and accessories. You know how picky I am with shoes." Alice said just as smugly.

"Yep and we will not be shopping for those today. Take those off so we can buy them and go get lunch." Rose said before shoving me back into my dressing room.

"Damn pushy friends." I mumbled.

"We heard that Isabella Marie." Rose sang.

---

June, July, and August flew by in a flash. It was a good thing I had taken summer courses, it kept the fact that I hadn't really talked to Edward off my mind. The occasional phone call would only last a few minutes at the longest. We texted more than we did anything but even those were short conversations.

The week before the MTV VMA's I finally received my schedule from Edward's people. He wasn't even the one to call me. When I realized it wasn't Edward who was on the phone, I wanted to just scream, but I knew that would not be the smart thing to do. I swallowed my emotions and wrote down the information. I really didn't understand how hard it could possibly be to just pick up the phone a quickly dial your girlfriend's number to let her know what flight she should take – but whatever!

I caught my flight at 2:30 in the morning the day before the ceremony, arriving in New York at 10:30. Edward had arranged for a car to pick me up and take me to the hotel. I almost started hyperventilating when we stopped in front of the Plaza. Even the outside was fancier than anything I'd ever been in. I was escorted up to a suite on the twentieth floor and was greeted by a woman I didn't recognize.

"Miss Swan, please come in." She said as she opened the door for me.

"Um thanks?"

"Oh…I'm Kate. I'm Edwards's PR manager."

"Where is Edward?"

"He's in with some press discussing his new single and the upcoming album. He'll be out in a few minutes."

"Okay." I said as she ushered me into the bedroom.

"Please stay in here. We'll come get you when Edward's done." She said as she closed the door. Her little fake smile didn't go unnoticed.

"Right." I said as I threw my stuff down on the bed. "Freaking fly all the way over here from LA just to be locked in a damn bedroom." I grumbled while I started unpacking my things.

"Where is she?" I heard Edward ask on the other side of the door.

"You still have one more interview…"

"No I'm done with interviews. I haven't seen Bella for three months. She's here for a whole two days and I'm not wasting my time. Where is she?" he almost growled. I didn't hear Kate's response but the door to the bedroom opened seconds later revealing my boyfriend in all of his glory.

"I see you didn't even bother putting on clothes for your interviews." I laughed as I looked at his sleep pants and a tank top.

"Eh they weren't camera interviews." He shrugged as he closed the door behind him, locked it, and then stalked over to me. My reaction was to back away from him but when I backed into the bed and fell on to it, he laughed and continued towards me.

"Bella, I'm sorry they shut you in here. I told them to get me out of the interviews when you arrived. Kate will be getting talked to you later." He said as he approached the bed. "But right now…" he said as he crawled onto of me. "I'm going to catch up with you." He finished before crashing his lips against mine.

And well who am I to argue with that?

After "catching up", Edward and I decided to do a little sight seeing. It was pretty comical actually. He had to wear a hat and sunglasses and he was still recognized by a few people. We spent the rest of the day together and even had a dinner date. It all felt like it had a year previously. We were us again. No interruptions on his cell phone, no fans, no annoying PR women.

Sunday, we stayed in bed all day until it was time to get up and get ready to go to the ceremony. The car was scheduled to pick us up at 8:00 and so we reluctantly got out of bed at 6:00 to start getting ready.

As said, it took Alice and Rose the remaining of the summer months to find the perfect shoes and accessories for my outfit. The shoes ended up being red and stilettos, as I assumed. I was instructed (by the devils of course) to just straighten my hair and wear smoky makeup.

"Bella, love, could you please come here for a second." Edward called for me while I finished up my hair.

"Everything okay?" I asked as I peaked around the bathroom corner. He was standing there holding a little bag. Not just any bag – a very distinctive blue bag. A Tiffany's bag. "What did you do?"

"Well, I bought you something." He said then slowly walked towards me. I met him halfway and he handed me the bag. "I just…I wanted to give these to you tonight so you could wear it…by the way you look very…tempting."

"Thank you." I said blushing then reached in the bag. I pulled the box out and looked at a platinum necklace with a diamond encrusted heart pendant with matching earrings. "Oh Edward, they're gorgeous, but you shouldn't have…"

"I wanted to." He said as he reached to grab the necklace. "May I?"

"Yes please." I said as I pulled my hair up. After he latched the necklace he placed a soft open mouth kiss on my neck. The sensation sent shivers down my spine and made me smile.

"Happy birthday, love." He whispered in my ear. My smiled faltered slightly before I recovered it.

"You're not going to make it to my birthday party next week, are you?" I asked without turning to face him. I heard him take a deep breath before turning me around to face him. I was looking down at my feet, avoiding eye contact knowing that my emotions would be easily read in them.

Edward, of course, had other plans. He pulled my chin up making me look at him.

"No, I cannot make it next week. I really wish I could but I can't get out of this interview with…"

"I understand." I said, placing a kiss on his cheek then walked back towards the bathroom. "Edward…" I said turning around. He was still looking in my direction, looking obviously at my ass but also looking sad.

"Yes?"

"Thank you again for the jewelry. It really is beautiful."

"You're welcome." He said giving me a slight smile before I turned the corner completely.

Arriving at the red carpet was a very surreal moment for me. The flashbulbs, the screaming, the stars. I was in haze the whole way down the carpet. I can't even tell you if we stopped for interviews. The show was a blur as well. Not only was I in a "star induced" brain haze, I couldn't stop thinking about how Edward would not be at my birthday celebration. Honestly, I don't really care that he's missing my birthday; it's just another thing he said he was going to be at and couldn't make it. Another time when I got shoved to the back of his life.

"You ready for the after party?" Edward whispered.

"Is it time already?"

"Yep, let's go." He said standing up and offering me his hand. The limo took us to MTV studios, which was hosting the party. I couldn't hide the excitement. Just the thought of being able to meet some of the people in the music industry was beyond thrilling.

"I have to go talk to someone. Grab us a table or something and I'll meet up with you in a second." Edward said then kissed my temple and walked away.

Mad would be an understatement. He left me standing by myself in a room full of people I don't know. He left me alone…so he could mingle – mingle with people he could have very easily introduced me to.

_Alone. Damn, I could use something to drink._

"Bella?" A deep voice from behind me asked. I would recognize that voice even if I hadn't met him before.

"Hello Jacob Black." I said turning around smiling.

"Wow…you look…amazing." He said openly staring at me. His intense stare caused me to blush but somehow I managed to laugh lightly at his expression. "Oh…here." He said gathering his thoughts again and handing me a glass of champagne.

_Oh thank you Jacob Black._

"Thank you." I said for both the alcohol and the compliment. "Congrats on the multiple awards this evening."

"Thank you. So I have to admit I watched the UCLA softball season pretty close this year."

"Really? Why?" My shock was very evident in my tone.

"Well yeah…I sort of remembered you said you were going there and I was curious so I tuned in for the first game and then kind of got hooked. You're incredible on that field."

"Um…I don't know what to say." I said as I blushed again. He just laughed and motioned toward a table. I nodded and took a seat.

"Although, I didn't realize until tonight that your Edward is _the _Edward of the moment. I don't really like the show and you two haven't really appeared together since he won."

"Yeah it's been beyond crazy for us. I don't see him much anymore." I said sipping my champagne hoping to calm the emotions surging through me.

Once again I had to remind myself that Edward was very busy and his career was just starting so he would naturally have to be all over the place. This change is still new to both of us. We haven't figured out how to balance anything yet. It's definitely already harder than I had originally suspected.

"It can be rough keeping a relationship that's serious going in this business – especially with a brand new career. I just don't try anymore…well the serious thing anymore. I've had one too many things go sour faster than I was prepared for it." He said shrugging.

Jake and I continued to talk for what seemed like only a little while. We talked about anything and everything. The conversation flowed very nicely with out any awkward pauses. It was very comfortable…he made me feel like I was talking to someone I had known for years. The only thing I could compare the feeling to was talking with Emmett or Jasper – my big brothers.

"Oh damn…have we really been talking for two hours?" Jake laughed looking down at his cell phone. "Wow time flies when you're having fun, huh?"

It was then I realized that Edward hadn't even been around to check on me. Two hours I've been sitting here with Jacob and Edward was no where to be found.

_He must really be enjoying his mingling_. I thought bitterly.

"Huh…interesting." I mused. "I should probably try to find Edward." I said slightly reluctantly.

"I suppose you're right." He depressingly mumbled. "Before you go though…do you think it'd be alright if I got your number? I mean just to call and hang out sometime. We both live in the same city you know."

"Umm…I don't know…" I said weighing the pros and cons quickly. I couldn't really see anything wrong with letting Jacob have my number. I hang out with guys all the time. No big deal I suppose. "I guess that'd be cool." I said finally smiling then programmed my number into his cell.

"See ya around, Bells." He said as I walked away to find Edward. I found him in a corner talking with some older gentleman I didn't recognize.

"Oh there she is." Edward said as I approached. I forced my smile. The way he said it was like _he_ had been waiting on _me_ to come get him. To say the least, it didn't settle all that great with me. "Aro this is my Bella. Bella this is my producer, Aro Volturi."

"Please to meet you sir." I said offering a hand shake.

"The pleasure is all mine." He said taking my hand and kissing it. "Edward, you failed to mention that she was the most gorgeous woman in the room. Why haven't you been toting her around all evening showing her off?"

"Yes why haven't you?" I asked before I could stop myself. The slide glance I got from Edward told me I shouldn't have said anything.

"Well, she looked pretty comfortable chatting up Jacob Black, so I thought I'd let her be." He said with a mocking tone.

"You left her with Black? I wouldn't do that if I were you. He's notorious in the business to be a dog. Watch him." Aro said to Edward as a beautiful blonde walked up to him. She whispered something in his ear causing him to laugh. "Well, my friends, apparently I'm needed elsewhere currently. Nice to meet you Bella. Edward, I will see you in a week."

"Can we please go back to the hotel? I have only tonight before I lose you for God knows how long." I said.

"You'll never lose me…I'm just going to be busy for a while."

"I know but when you're so busy and I don't get to see you or talk to you…and then the one time we get to spend some time together you disappear for hours…"

"Can we not discuss this here, please?"

"Does that mean we're leaving?"

"Yes, we'll leave." He said as he wrapped his around my waist and led me out of the party.

Not all too surprisingly, we never had the discussion. He made sure he kept me rather distracted for the remaining part of the evening…and the morning before I left for my flight.

---

After arriving back in LA on Monday, I resumed my busy schedule of workouts, classes, and homework.

All of my daily activities were drawn out to take up as much time as possible – to keep my mind off the fact that I hadn't spoken to Edward since he kissed me goodbye at his hotel door before swatting my ass and sending me on my way.

It made me feel like a cheap whore, not his girlfriend – a freaking whore.

I haven't told anyone that Edward isn't planning on making it my birthday celebration on Saturday. I just can't seem to figure out how exactly to go about it. I keep telling myself it's because I know they will all be just as disappointed as I am and will also throw me a pity party on top of my birthday party.

Okay fine – I'm not telling them because part of me is hoping he shows up unexpectedly.

I know this won't happen. I know he's still in New York recording with Aro, but still…

"What's the plan for tonight?" I asked Alice as we started our daily workout. I should know better by now than to ask her about plans for parties.

"Oh my God Bella you're gonna have so much fun! First we're going to go shopping for a new outfit. Don't even think about it." She said quickly as she saw I was about to protest. Instead I clamped my mouth shut. "The boys are going to pick us up at six, we're treating you to dinner, and then we're hitting a club – VIP style." She explained as she bounced around all the while still keeping her pace up on the treadmill.

"That sounds like a good plan – minus the shopping of course." I said smiling. My smile was slightly forced and I hoped the girls wouldn't catch that I wasn't truly happy about something. I know I need to tell them about Edward before…say I don't know before the boys show up but I really wanted to wait until the very last second.

"Everything okay Bella?" Rose asked.

"Oh…yep."

"Liar." They both said stopping their workouts and staring.

"It's nothing…I'll tell you guys later. Let's just workout right now, please?"

"Whatever Bella. You know you need to tell us." Alice said firing up her treadmill again.

"Anyways, when is Edward getting into town?" Rose asked glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. I dropped the weight I was holding. I could tell by her reaction she wasn't really surprised that by bringing up his name I spazzed out.

"What did he do now? Have you even talked to him since you left Monday?" Alice asked stopping her treadmill once again.

"No I haven't."

"So you don't know when he's…." Rose said and I just looked at her. "Oh."

"He's not coming is he." Alice stated. It wasn't a question. I didn't need to answer her. They both knew he wasn't.

"I'm sorry honey." Rose said sitting down next to me. I just sniffed and kept my head down.

"I can't believe I'm crying because he's missing my party." I laughed without humor.

"Hey! It's your party and you'll cry if you want to!" Alice laughed, and God love her, it made me laugh too.

"He's in the studio with Aro this weekend and couldn't get out of it. He apologized and wished he could be here with me, but…"

"I know it's hard not seeing him but just think of what your lives are going to be like once this all settles down and life goes back to semi-normalcy." Rose tried helping.

"If it goes back that way." I sighed. "Look, I'm upset he's not going to be here, but I don't plan on letting it affect my time with you guys so let's just go out and have a great time. Okay? I don't want pity from you two or from the guys. I don't even want to talk about him or the fact that's he's not here. Can we do that?"

"Of course." They both agreed readily.

"Thank you." I said then went back to my workout.

---

Apparently Rose and Alice talked to Jasper and Emmett before they arrived at the house because neither of them said a word about the missing sixth person.

For dinner my awesome friends somehow managed to get us into a new Italian restaurant. I don't really want to think about what they did to get us a table or how much it all cost, but I knew I was thankful it. The food was amazing and the company and conversation was just as spectacular.

I made an effort to not think about Edward and what he was doing – or the fact that he had yet to wish me a happy birthday – in any form. I was pretty sure everyone else took notice that my phone had been quiet all evening but they all abided by the rules of the evening and didn't say anything.

After dinner we made our way over to a club, where we were slapped with the bright pink underage bracelet.

"Why pink?! It clashes with my red." Rose complained as we waited for our waters.

"I totally know. It just looks awful against my green…." Emmett deadpanned until he was hit upside his head by Rose. "Ow Rosie."

"You're such a dork Emmett." Alice said. "Come on let's get up to our reserved table."

"How much did you guys…" I asked as I grabbed for my water.

"Hush…quit worrying about it." Jasper said as she put his arm around me and walked up towards the VIP section.

"You guys are the best, you know that?" I said as we sat at our table.

"We know." Emmett laughed.

We stayed at the club till about one in the morning. It was a good time and the girls pulled me out to the dance floor a couple of times and I honestly had not thought about who we were missing since we stepped into the loud club. My brain just couldn't focus on anything except the people surrounding us and the music.

As soon as we got back to the house I headed towards my room to try and get some sleep.

"Did he even call her to wish her a…" I heard Jasper whisper.

"No. What an ass. I'll tell you what, next time I talk to him I'm gonna give him…" Alice said and I could just picture her little fists balled up at her sides.

"Come on guys…let's not get involved. We all know Bella will give him what for if she wants to." Rose chimed in.

"Rosie's right. There's no need for all of us to jump all over his stupid, selfish, ass." Emmett threw in his two cents before they all quieted back down.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. I'm glad my friends care so much about me, but I'm even gladder that they're not going to say anything to him. Even though I was hurt he didn't acknowledge my birthday, I wasn't going to approach him about it. He had given me a birthday present just last weekend and wished me a happy birthday then. Its things like birthdays that I'm just going to have to let slide and understand.

Just one more thing to add to my ever growing list of adjustments to make in my life for his life.


	17. Regret and Deals

**A/N: Ah my loyal readers – how I do love thee! I'm mad at Eddie too right now. He's being a little ass isn't he? It's a necessary evil though and for that I apologize.**

**One review, I feel I need to address. Edward will never cheat on Bella. The thought crossed my mind when I first began writing but I have since decided that, even though, he's an ass right now it takes a special kind of prick to cheat on the woman you love. I don't typically let little secrets like this go, but I wanted to make sure everyone knew.**

**AngelsLuvMe, thank you for your suggestion and review, it is much appreciated!**

**Onward!**

**Regret and Deals**

* * *

A week after my birthday party, I still hadn't heard from Edward but surprisingly I wasn't as mad as I thought I would be. I'm not even sure why, all I know is that I was hurt but not furious with him. The more I thought about it the more I realized I needed to be a little more understanding – he is trying to get his career off the ground.

I understand him being busy so I can't be mad about that, but I can be mad that he can't seem to find even just a few minutes here or there to talk to me. I'm not asking for meaningful, deep conversations with him every time we talk, I'd be happy with the occasional 'I'm thinking about you' text message.

It felt like he wasn't even trying to talk to me.

"Hello…" I groaned still half asleep.

"Did I wake you, love?" Edward's honey voice whispered.

"Edward? It's okay. Is everything all right? Are you…"

"I'm fine." He laughed.

"Why are you whispering?"

"I've just stepped out of a meeting and I don't want to interrupt the people who are still in there."

"A meeting? It's…" I said turning towards my clock. "Holy hell Edward it's two in the morning. What the heck are you doing in a meeting at this hour?"

"I'm always in meetings these days." He sighed. "I've been in a non-stop meeting ever since you left New York."

"You sound exhausted."

"I'm beyond it. I need you. I miss you so much."

"Why haven't you called?" I asked before I could stop my mouth from voicing what my brain wanted me to ask. "Sorry. That…ignore that…"

"No, no…I've tried but every time I seem to pick up my phone Aro finds me, or Kate finds me, or…"

"I get it."

"No. It's not fair to you. I can't talk long, even now, but I wanted to hear your voice and I am sorry I woke you up."

"I don't mind. I really don't care what time it is, I just want to hear from you."

"I know. I also wanted to discuss the holidays with you. I can't spend Thanksgiving with everyone but I will be flying into Jacksonville for Christmas. Do you think you can talk everyone into going home for Christmas so we can all spend some time together?"

"I can certainly try. I'm not sure what Emmett and Jasper will be doing since it's looking like they'll be playing in a bowl game again this year but we'll see. I'll need to probably have someone help me out with my plane…"

"I'll buy your plane ticket, love. Anything to see you." He said right as I heard someone in the background yell his name. "I have to go sweetheart." He sighed.

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too." He said then hung up.

I fell back asleep but it wasn't a deep sleep and I woke up for good at six in the morning. I just couldn't clear my mind. All I kept thinking about what how depressed, sad, and lonely Edward sounded. It was almost like he didn't want to be where he was. I felt sad for him but at the same time it made me giddy that he would rather be away from where he was. It also brought hope back to me that he would start trying to communicate with me – with all of us more. Of course, I tried to not let my hopes well too much.

I got up and realized, without too much shock, that Alice and Rose were still asleep so I threw on my running gear and headed out the door.

Five miles later I stumbled back into the house.

"Where have you been?" Rose asked as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Running. I needed to get out." I said as I flopped down on a stool at the kitchen bar.

"Thinking about that ass you still call a boyfriend, huh?"

I shot her a look that told her to not go there before speaking again. "He called this morning."

"This morning?" She raised an eyebrow looking over at a clock. "It's only a quarter till eight. What time did he call…?"

"Two."

She spit her coffee out. "Did you yell at him for it?!"

"No he sounded so…so…depressed I couldn't yell at him for waking me up. He wants us all to fly home for Christmas. He's going home and wants to know if we can all join."

"Well we'll have to talk to everyone else, but I'm pretty sure Em and I were planning on going anyways."

"Planning on what?" Alice asked as she skipped into the kitchen.

"Going home for Christmas this year. Edward wants us all to go home for the holiday." I explained.

"Oh fun!" Alice yelled. "I can't wait for us to go home. I gotta call Jazz!" She said then ran back out of the room.

"She realizes Christmas break is still two months away right?" Rose laughed.

"Oh probably but you know Al." I said laughing again.

---

The past two months hve passed just like the previous months – in a blur; a blur of classes, workouts, frat house parties, and loneliness. I did hear from Edward on Thanksgiving but other than that it was very sporadically and at that only a few times.

The last time I heard from him was a week ago – now we're boarding our plane out of LA to Jacksonville.

I threw an absolute fit when I was placed in first class and was immediately told to shove it up my ass and deal with it.

"The asshole doesn't give you much as it is anymore…take _everything_ he gives you." Rose said.

"Rosie…" Emmett said in a warning tone.

"Look Rosalie, I understand you're upset with Edward. I'm upset with Edward right now, but I'm also trying to understand for his sake. Please do the same." I said forcefully. "He called me last week to confirm this week and to let me know when to expect him. His plane will be coming in tomorrow about four in the afternoon. He wanted to make sure he was at his parents' for Christmas Eve dinner."

"Oh that's right; Esme is cooking our Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow. She's the best cook!" Jasper said.

"Hellz yeah!" Emmett joined in.

"Are all of our families going to be there?" Alice asked.

"As far as I know. I know Renee and Phil for sure are joining us tomorrow night."

"Mine too." Emmett and Jasper both said at the same time. This revelation set the boys off on debating what games we could play with that many people. I tuned them out and settled in for the five and half hour flight.

I was jostled awake by a rather rough landing in Jacksonville, only to find my four flight mates staring at me and trying not to laugh.

"What?"

"I knew you talked in your sleep but I never knew they were so vivid!" Emmett laughed out loud.

I groaned in embarrassment before turning a bright shade of red at the memory of my dreams.

"What did I say?"

"Oh not much…except we now all know you're extremely horny." Alice giggled. I rolled my eyes at them.

"Like you didn't already know that." I said. "I mean seriously…um how long has it been now? Let's see…four months. Yeah. I'm excited to see him tomorrow, so sue me." I said standing up out of my seat.

To say we caused a scene in the airport would be an understatement. My mom and Phil, Emmett's parents, Jasper's parents, Alice and Rose's parent's, and then even Esme and Carlisle welcomed us.

"Oh it is so good to see you darling." Esme said hugging me hello.

"You too Esme." I said hugging her back. "Um have you heard from Edward?" I asked nervously.

"Not for about a week, why?"

"Well, I know this is crazy, but I just have this unsettled feeling about this week for some reason. I was hoping to get a confirmation from him closer to time."

"Do you really think our son would miss a chance to see you?" Carlisle laughed.

"Psh." Rose snorted behind us. I ignored her.

"I suppose you're right." I said walking toward the parking garage while Phil chatted about our upcoming softball season.

---

We all converged at the Cullen's about noon on Christmas Eve for games and family fun. It didn't go unnoticed that by Edward not being there yet, we were odd numbered; me being the odd man out. Esme gracefully bowed out so she could keep an eye on dinner.

I tried to not watch the clock but no matter what I did, my eyes always seemed to find their way back to some sort of time telling machine – the clock on the wall, the clock on the TV, my cell phone; it didn't matter. And each glance only succeeded in making me more anxious.

By four-fifteen I hadn't heard from him. I couldn't help but pace around the living room, all but wearing a hole in the floor.

"Dear, come sit down before you ruin Esme's beautiful carpet." My mother said patting the couch next to her.

"I can't. He should have called by now…"

"No news is good news." Phil reminded me.

"Phil's right, Bella. You need to relax – you're making us all nervous!" Charlotte, Jasper's mother laughed.

Her beautiful laughter was interrupted by the shrill ringing of my cell phone. Relief washed over me when I realized it was Edward's cell phone number.

"Hi! Did you just land? What's your ETA?" I answered but there was silence from the other end. "Edward? Is…"

"Bella." He said and his tone was shattering. I immediately stopped walking. "I couldn't get away from…"

"You have got to be shitting me!?!" I yelled as loud as I could as my pacing started back up. "You promised!"

"I know and if there was anything I could do…I would much rather be there with you than stuck here filming this video."

"God damn-it! Don't you get it? _You_ are the freaking star here Edward." I spit out his name with more distaste than I expected. "You make the rules. Don't you see that?"

"That is not how this works Isabella! I am under contract and…"

"It's Christmas, Edward."

"I'm well aware of that fact." He growled.

"Are you sure?"

"You are beyond frustrating! I tried everything I could think of to get out of here on time and get to you and my family. Don't you think I'd like to see my family? I've seen you more than I've seen them…"

"Which we all know sure as hell hasn't been a lot…"

"I can't talk to you when you're like this."

"Like what, Edward?"

"Like _this_ – completely hard-headed and refusing to listening."

"Well that's not likely to change for a while so why don't you just _not_ call me." I said then hung up the phone.

"Bella…" Alice said racing to my side.

"Fuck this stupid ass holiday. I'm going home." I said walking away from her and out the door.

How could he do this to me…to his family…to his friends! This was his stupid idea anyways. I would be perfectly happy in my house back in LA all alone right now if _he_ hadn't insisted we all go home for the holiday. The holiday that he isn't even getting free from work for.

He didn't try to get out of work or at least he didn't try as hard as he probably could have. I mean, seriously, who _wants_ to work on Christmas. I'm sure if he asked to make sure he wasn't working, the people in charge would have happily obliged him seeing how that would mean they got the holiday free as well.

_Beep_

The sound of my text messaging warning broke me out of my rant as I walked towards my mom's and Phil's.

My first thought was that surely he isn't stupid enough to actually contact me that soon. I reluctantly flipped open my phone to read it.

_Are you okay? – Jazz_

_Fine. Don't want to talk to anyone right now. See you all at the airport in a couple of days. Love – B_

I put my phone back in my pocket hoping that would end the conversations for the evening. I knew better though.

_Rosie's worried and actually afraid to text you herself. She thought you wouldn't be mad if it was me. – Em_

Okay, that made me laugh.

_Haha…tell Rose I love her and I would never be mad at her for texting me. I just might not answer. Please enjoy your holiday. See you later. Love – B_

_If you need us we're here. All of us. Love you Hellz Bells – Em_

I smiled then put my phone away.

I got back to my mom's house and realized I had nothing to keep my mind off of _him_. I was alone with my thoughts and that can't be good. I decided to watch a movie in the hopes of distracting me. It didn't take long for that idea to go to hell. The first movie I decided on, the lead was named Eddie. The second movie was based on a friendship between a man and woman that eventually becomes more. I quit trying.

_Took the car – be back sometime tonight. Don't wait up. – Bella_

I left the note taped to the refrigerator knowing at least Phil would see it and headed out the door. I drove aimlessly for a good hour before I realized I was at our high school. There we other cars in the parking lot so I figured the gym was probably open for students. I sighed and turned back around and headed out of the parking lot.

For the first time in a few years, I didn't even have enough energy to take a run.

I glanced down at the clock on my radio and realized it was almost seven.

_I bet dinner at the Cullens' was great._ I thought to myself. And as if on cue my stomach made a god awful noise. I turned the car around and headed towards a fast food chain to grab a quick bite – hoping that at least one place would be open this late on Christmas Eve. I was wrong. I couldn't find anything open.

_Could this day get any suckier! _

_Beep_

Yes it could.

_I am truly sorry. You have no idea how much I miss you. I love you, Bella. Love – E_

Okay, ignoring that.

_Beep_

Oh for the love of all things holy…I just want be left alone! Left alone to do what though? Sit here in my car staring at all the closed food establishments wishing I had just stayed at the house and eaten with my friends and family. Sit here alone so I can continue to dwell over the fact the Edward once again backed out on plans with me. I sighed for what felt like the millionth time this evening and opened my phone.

_Bells, Esme insisted we bring food home for you. I will put it in the fridge. Love Mom_

This news I welcomed.

_Thank you. Will be home shortly – B_

I threw my phone on the passenger seat and did yet another U-turn and headed home.

---

Seven. Aside from being my lucky number it is the number of times Edward called me today. He left a message each time. The first was pretty simple; the typical Merry Christmas wishing and an I love you. The ones following got progressively more irritated and worried. I continued to ignore them.

I couldn't help but laugh at the irony that it took me literally yelling at him and telling him to _not_ call me for him to actually call me.

What really surprised me – and only succeeded in pissing me off more – was when he sent my other friends on the hunt as well. After his seventh phone call he apparently got the hint that I would not be answering his phone calls and that is when Alice called.

"Hello." I answered.

"Merry Christmas!" She yelled into the phone.

"You too Ali. What's up?"

"Can't I just call and wish you a…"

"No." I interrupted. I heard her huff and then sigh before speaking.

"Okay fine. Why won't you answer any of Edward's texts or calls?"

"Um because he's an ass."

"Look I understand you're mad…"

"Are you sure because if you really did you wouldn't have called to do his begging for him."

"I'm not…"

"You are. He called you and asked you to call me and talk to me, effectively talking me into calling him or at least listen to him. And he picked you because he knows you wouldn't tell him no unlike Rose who is livid with him or Jasper and Emmett who know not to put their big heads in my life. I'm too mad at him right now to talk to him. Once I've cooled off, I'll consider answering his calls…if he ever calls again. I really doubt this string of seven plus phone calls a day will keep up for much longer."

There was silence on the other end of the phone and I took that as she knew I was right.

"Call him back and tell him I'm just not ready to talk to him yet. Can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Okay and I will see you all tomorrow at ten to catch our plane. Love you Ali."

"Love you Bells." She said then hung up.

---

The calls did not drop off as I expected. He called me constantly the day after Christmas, leaving me a total of ten voicemails just during flight time alone. He had gone back to groveling instead of being mad, which made it harder to stay mad at him. It was a lot easier to yell at him when he was yelling at me and not almost crying.

Back at home, I stayed pretty much in my room getting caught up on homework and getting ready for the new semester. Every time everyone wanted to go out, they invited me but I was tired of being the fifth wheel, so I always declined. I wasn't purposely avoiding them…all right that's a lie. I knew they all wanted to know if I had talked to Edward yet and I didn't want to deal with it.

"Beelllaaaa…." Alice sang as she stuck her head in my door.

"Go away Alice. It's too early."

"Aren't you going shopping with us today?"

"Nope." I said throwing the covers over my head.

"Why not?! You've been locked in your room since we got back from Jacksonville…that's six days…it's time to get your ass up."

"No." I groaned as my covers were ripped away from me. "Evil pixie."

"Yes I am. Plus you _have_ to get up."

"I don't _have_ to do anything."

"Um yes you do."

"And why is that pray tell?"

"Because there's a delivery here for you and no one but you can sign for it. He's waiting at the door for you." She said then skipped out of my room.

I threw on some clothes and headed out towards the living room.

"Miss Swan?"

"Yes." I said eyeing the guy that wasn't a UPS man or anything like that. He had on a business suit and was holding a little white box with a ribbon on it.

_I'm going to kill him_. I thought to myself.

"Please sign here for delivery."

"Delivery of what?" I asked as I signed. He handed me the box before answering.

"Your new car Miss."

"My new _WHAT_?!" I screeched.

"Your brand new Mercedes CL63 AMG." He answered as he stepped aside and let me look outside. I'll admit the car was gorgeous. It was black with dark black tint. The two door car was…sexy. That was the only word for it.

"Holy shit Bells! That's an expensive car." Rose said whistling as we all stepped outside towards the car.

"I figured it probably was." I growled before turning back to the delivery man.

"Do you need me to stay and go over the manual…?"

"No thank you."

"Okay Miss Swan. Have a great day." He said then walked towards his waiting car.

"Yep I'm definitely going to kill him." I said as I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed his number. Rose and Alice both just stood there looking at me.

He picked up on the first ring.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I shouted.

"So you got your Christmas gift."

"My Christmas gift? Edward it's a $150,000 car for crying out loud! Why the hell would…"

"You need a new car and since I can do that for you…I wanted to do that for you." He said.

"I don't need a car that's more than my house! How am I supposed to pay…?" I said as I headed back towards the house. Rose and Alice followed quickly.

"You don't have to pay for anything. It's in my name and I'm paying for the plates and insurance." He said as I walked into the house.

"Edward…" I started to say but heard the call go dead. "Oh he better not have just hung up on me. I swear on everything…it better be just another dropped call…"

"I hung up on you." He said coming out of Alice's bedroom. At the site of him, I instantly lost hold of my anger. He looked so depressed and tired and just sad. His green eyes lacked their normal sparkle. He looked…pathetic.

"Edward?" I asked as he walked towards me.

"We're uh…yeah bye!" Rose said as she grabbed Alice's arm and dashed back out the front door.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"You still won't answer my phone calls; it's the only way I was certain I would be able to talk to you." He said taking a hold of my hands. "Bella, please listen to me."

Well he's here…something that rarely happens. Might as well grant him this so I nodded.

"Thank you." He sighed. "I cannot apologize enough about how Christmas went down this year. I need you to believe that I tried everything I could think of to get out of New York but we just weren't where Aro wanted to be. As it turns out they should have let me go anyways since I was worthless after I hung up the phone with you – and you refused to acknowledge my attempts to contact you again. It's the reason it's taken this long to finally finish everything. I've been so…out of it…for the past six days…all I could think about was seeing you. I needed to see you. I need to be here with you." He said stopping long enough to take a deep breath. I opened my mouth to say something but I really had nothing to say so I closed it again.

"I told Aro I was taking a vacation. I am here…with you for the next week. I told him I'm turning my phone off and will not be in contact with him until after the seventh."

"Really?" I asked choking on my word.

"Yes really." He said as he put his right hand up to my cheek. I instinctively leaned into it and sighed. He leaned down and kissed me, which I accepted but he broke it before I wanted it to end. "Does this mean you're not mad about the gift anymore?"

"No I am definitely still mad about the ostentatious gift that is sitting in my driveway. It's too much Edward."

"No it's not enough. It doesn't even come close to what I should give you…the amount of apologizing…"

"Stop right there. You cannot buy me something every time you screw up."

"I know…that's not what I was doing. I was planning on giving you the keys to this in Jacksonville and having it delivery after we all got back here but…anyways I already had it bought and paid for when I realized I wasn't going to make it to Jacksonville, but I still feel like I owe you…"

"The only thing you owe me is an apology, which you've given, and of course a promise to never let it happen again."

"I will certainly make that promise. No more broken plans."

"Deal." I said then kissed him quickly. "Now to figure out what we're going to do all day…"

"I can think of something…"

"Um no. I accept your apology but I'm still not happy with you."

"But…"

"Nope, no sex for you. Play your cards right mister and we'll see. You've still got a lot to make up for. And not just with me. I hope you called your parents."

"I did."

"And of course Jazz and Em."

"I know."

"Well figure out what you're going to say to them. We party tonight."

**I'm well aware she forgave him rather quickly but in all honesty, she loves him and does understand he's busy right now. If Edward looked all depressed at you, could you stay mad at him?? Yeah…I would have forgiven him too – and withheld sex as well. Ha ha – malevolent witch I am. **


	18. Fighting

**A/N: All right just gonna get this out of the way right now – I've been having a HUGE issue with writer's block and it's driving me absolutely insane. I have this section that needs to be told to get you ready for the next part and I can't very well leave the last chapter where it is and jump a month and a half into the future. I suppose I could but it just wouldn't flow quite as nicely and I'm a perfectionist….**

**But because of the need for a filler type of chapter this one will unfortunately be shorter than I really wanted it to be but nonetheless here it is….**

**Fighting**

* * *

"Is it safe to come in?" Alice asked as she stuck her head around the front door.

"Of course you idiot." I laughed.

"Just wanted to make sure you weren't in the middle of chopping off his dick…which is what I would have done." Rose snided giving Edward a mean glare.

"Or making hot passionate monkey sex…which is what I would have done." Alice laughed. Edward shot me a sideways glance at the mention of sex but never said anything to the girls about we withholding from him. "So what did you two do all day? We've been out for about six hours now…"

"We went shopping." Edward casually said and I cringed.

"YOU DID NOT?? Why will you go with him but not me?" Alice whined; we're talking literally whined like a two year old. She even threw in the whole foot stomp, pout, and crossing of the arms.

"You are so gonna pay for telling her." I whispered to Edward. "I needed something new for tonight's party and a few other things. Plus I wanted to drive my car."

"So you're going tonight for sure then?" Rose asked. I nodded. "We didn't tell Jazz or Em that you're here so when you show up at the house tonight it will be a huge surprise." She continued but directed her conversation solely on Edward.

"Great, I can't wait to be mauled by Emmett."

"As long as you're alive at midnight to kiss me, I don't care." I said.

"Oh I'll be there." He said with an almost evil glint in his eyes.

"Okay girls let's start getting ready now!" Alice chirped.

"But it's only five and the party doesn't start until nine. What the hell do you need four hours to do…"

"Hush your mouth. You went shopping without me and you weren't forced…you're doing this. Period." She said grabbing my arm and dragging me to her bathroom.

"Spill." The both said as soon as the door was shut and locked behind us.

"Spill what?"

"You forgave him really easily Bella. He's just gonna screw up again, buy you something expensive, show up unexpected at your door step and give you that smile we all know you can't resist. His career hasn't changed…he's still not going to be able to make time for you." Rose said.

"I know and I told him about buying his way out of trouble and that it wouldn't help his cause at all. I also know his career isn't slowing down. All I want from him is the effort to try and be there more – in any way he can. I _know_ there are times when he's sitting idly in the studio, in a hotel room, in a limo…why can't he pick up the phone for a quick chat? That's all I'm asking for. Oh and of course the whole not breaking promises about seeing each other. That was bullshit and he knows it."

"So do you think he's going to actually be able to do it? I mean you'd think that those things would come naturally to a man in love, right? You shouldn't really have to ask him to do it. Maybe it's just not who he is." Alice said.

"But it is him. The real him, anyways. The Edward in high school we all know and love. He couldn't go a day without seeing or talking to me. I just don't know where that man is right now." I sighed.

"I know where he is. He's up his egotistical, self-centered, ignorant ass. That's where he is. Somewhere lost in La-La Land a.k.a. fame." Rose snorted.

"I have faith in _my_ Edward though." I said then turned away from both of them, ending the conversation.

The next three hours were a mess of hair products, makeup, and outfits. We finally emerged just in time to make it to the party, fashionable late. Rose and Ali decided to go femme fatal on the boys for the evening and wear barely there mini-skirts and non-existent tops. Rose was clad in her signature red while Ali went with a more subtle but still attention grabbing white.

"I thought you couldn't wear white after Labor Day." I said as we exited the bathroom.

"Shut-up Bella. You damn well know this isn't _white_ its _winter white_ so it's perfectly suitable to wear to a New Year Eve's bash."

"Any shade of _white_ is a bad idea at a frat house, pixie." I laughed.

"At least we dressed up this evening." She said sticking her tongue out at me.

"What's wrong with my jeans?"

"You should be in a skirt."

"Not at a frat house. I'm wearing my skinny jeans and knee high 'don't touch me or I'll kick you in your balls' boots."

"At least the top is revealing and sexy." Rose said saving me from the evil pixie's wrath.

"I think she looks damn sexy…especially those boots." Edward said as we appeared in the living room.

"Thank you." I said as I gave him a quick kiss.

"I'm still mad at you for not letting me dress you." Alice pouted again.

"I bet I can help make it up to you." Edward said to her. I gave him a questioning look. "I have another gift for Miss Bella today."

"What did…"

"I will need Alice and Rose, of course, to take you shopping for a formal gown." He said and Alice instantly started bouncing up and down.

"Why?"

"Because you can't wear jeans to the Grammy awards in February. You'll use the credit card I gave you this morning to buy everything you need for it."

"The Grammy awards? Seriously?" I asked with a wide open mouth.

"Oh this is gonna be so much fun Bella! I know exactly where…we'll start on Rodeo Drive of course, and then maybe…oh we could even fly into New York if we need to or I bet I could get my mom to set us up with something in Paris or Milan…"

"Alice!" I yelled getting her attention. "We'll stay in LA thank you very much."

"Start resting up now because if you're not in classes, workout, or doing homework, pixie will be dragging you shopping and you can't deny her since it is actually for something important." Rose said.

"That's right." Alice said smugly.

"You are so gonna get it buddy." I said to Edward with a glare.

"Oh hush you know deep down you're excited. Let's go party." He said then pulled me towards the door with the girls behind us.

The party was in full swing when we walked up and not all too surprisingly it took less than a second for someone to notice Edward.

"Holy shit! You're Edward freaking Cullen!" Some random drunk chick said as we dodged her stumbling down the sidewalk.

"Last time I checked, yes." He laughed as we walked in the front door. We hadn't actually stepped foot into the door yet when Edward was blind sided with a right hook.

"What the fuck?!" He yelled as he grabbed his chin.

"That's for making my baby sister cry." Emmett said as he pulled back for another hit.

"No Em!" I said grabbing his fist. Jasper jumped in and helped me hold him.

"He deserves…"

"No…"

"He's right, I do deserve that." Edward said still holding his jaw.

"No, he had no right to hit you. Emmett, Edward apologized to me this morning. We've talked about a lot of things. Yes he was an ass a week ago but…"

"Are you sure you're okay?" He asked me while Jasper still held his hand.

"Of course. Now please don't hit my boyfriend again."

"No promises." He and Jasper both grumbled.

"Okay well welcome to the party, bro. Keg's in the kitchen…if you wanted hard liquor there's some people walking around willing to share." Jasper said to Edward.

"Gonna stick with the beer tonight, but thanks." He said clapping him on the back.

"I want the tequila." I said walking away and heading towards my secret stash of Patron.

---

A few hours and a ton of shots later, I was hanging on Edward's arm which was basically the only thing holding me up. The six of us were standing around talking when out of the blue all three boys took off towards the back of the house.

"What the…" I said as I fell against the wall.

"I guess someone is trying to fight a Theta member out back…of course all brothers are now out there to defend him." A sweet voice said to us. We all turned around and instantly smiled.

"Angela!?! OMG! How are you?" Alice said hugging her.

"It's great to see you too Ali. I'm good. Here with my boyfriend, Ben. He's a Theta so he is now out back as well." She said rolling her eyes. "How have you all been? I haven't seen you around this semester."

"Beyond busy, that's what. We're all taking way more class than we should." Rose laughed.

"I hear ya there. Law school is kicking my ass. So are you three ready for the softball season to start?"

"You better believe it. Ready and willing to show everyone why we're the defending champs." I said.

"I need a refill before everyone comes back in. See ya around." She said then walked off.

"Yeah I'm gonna hit the only clean bathroom." Alice said. Rose agreed and then started to walk away. "You coming Bells?"

"Nah."

"Okay." They said then disappeared. I closed my eyes to try and sober myself up a little bit more but it wasn't working. I had drank almost half the bottle of Patron by myself before Edward took it away from me and now I was more than happy to be sipping on the bottle of water he gave me before they all ran outback like a bunch of cavemen.

"I bet I could make you cum." An almost girly high pitched voice slurred into my ear. My eyes shot wide instantly. I hadn't heard anyone approaching so it scared me and I'm pretty sure if I hadn't been scared I would have been laughing at the horrible pickup line he just pulled.

"Excuse me?" I asked cocking an eyebrow in his direction.

"A softball hottie like yourself shouldn't be at a frat party alone."

"I'm not alone."

"You sure are right now." He said looking around. And all be damned if I wasn't completely alone in the kitchen – well alone except for Mr. Creepy himself. "Now about making you cum…" He rasped as he ran a finger down my arm. I shivered with the contact, and not in a good way.

"Look Mr. Creepy…"

"Name's Laurent."

"I don't give a rat's ass what your name is. Get your nasty ass hands off of me before I make you."

He laughed. I threatened his ass and he laughed. He was either incredibly stupid or very drunk. Emmett won't even mess with me.

"Now now sweetheart. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Let's just go upstairs and…"

"I'm not going anywhere with you." I said then tried to move away.

"You will." He demanded as he pinned me against the wall with his arms. It was my turn to laugh. He really thought he had this situation under control?

"You really shouldn't have done that." I said right as Alice and Rose appeared at the stop of the stairs about the same time.

"Bella!" I heard them yell and I swear Rose growled but I was still laughing. Out of the corner of my eye I realized they both had stopped at the top of the stairs smirking – waiting.

"Well sweetheart, what's it gonna be?"

"Hmm…I'm thinking a broken arm, broken nose, and of course a severe case of broken balls." I said and watched his face contort into confusion as I raised my boot to kick him in his junk. That was followed quickly by me grabbing and twisting his right arm until it snapped and then slamming him into the wall – head first – effectively breaking his nose. "Don't you _ever_ talk to me like that again or any other female for that matter asshat."

Laurent just laid there, no movements or anything.

"Damn girl, are you sure you didn't kill him?" Rose said.

"Nah he might be unconscious though. I did slam his head into the wall pretty hard." I laughed.

"It's taking an awful long time for them to defuse the fight out back – maybe we should send you in." Alice sang.

"Good idea." I said but as we started that direction, leaving Laurent a bloody mess, everyone else came in. "Or not." I said stopping and waiting for Edward.

"Whoa! What the hell happened in here? I thought the fight was outside." Jasper said looking at the slumped over man at the foot of the stairs.

"Um he…well…" Rose but was laughing too hard to continue which caused Alice to start laughing.

"Girls?" All three boys questioned us with stern looks.

"He fell down the stairs." I said trying really hard not to laugh.

"Why do I not believe you?" Edward said.

"Because it's a bold faced lie." Emmett said narrowing his eyes.

"He's one of our brothers…who the hell did this to him? We have to know so we can…"

"Defend his honor?" Rose laughed. "Psh…that _thing_ has no honor left to defend. He just got the shit beat out of him by a chick."

"What?!" All three guys yelled with open mouths.

"But who the hell was in here besides you three?" Edward asked. I really couldn't control my laugh any longer. We were far too gone into our fit of giggles to really be able to talk.

"Would you like to answer us anytime soon?" Edward was getting impatient. Apparently Jasper picked up on it because then he started laughing with us. The next thing I knew Emmett had figured it out.

"What the hell?" Edward asked looking around at all of us. His eyes finally settled down on mine and I just grinned like a fool.

"Didn't know your girl could do that shit did ya?" Emmett laughed.

"You did this to him?" Edward asked me. I nodded. "Why?"

"Because he's a pig and came on to me and when I asked him to back away he pinned me to the wall. So I beat the shit out of him." I said shrugging.

"It was pretty sweet to watch. She used her kick-ass boots to nail him in the crotch, then twisted his arm until it snapped and threw him into the wall." Rose said.

"That's my little fighter!" Emmett said giving me a high-five.

"You taught her how…"

"We taught all the girls, but Bella needed it more since she's alone the most." Jasper said but as he finished up the statement he realized what it basically said.

"Oh." Edward said depressed.

"It's okay baby. Really. I like knowing how to defend myself and with…well with me being by myself the most…the boys just thought I should know some pretty useful things." I said trying to comfort him but as I continued to talk, I realized nothing I could say to explain would make him feel any better about me being alone all the time.

"My best friends have turned my girlfriend into a killing machine because I'm not here to protect her." He said. The amount of sadness in his eyes made my heartbreak. Before any of us could say another word to him he sulked off.

I turned to my friends for answers but they all just shrugged their shoulders. I rolled my eyes at their "help" and turned to follow him. I finally caught up to him going for the front door.

"Let's go home." I whispered in his ear. He didn't say anything so I took his hand and led him out the front door. We were silent the whole way back to the house.

Once we got in the house, I went to the kitchen to get us two glasses of water and brought it back out to him. He had sat himself on the couch so I sat down next to him and curled my legs under myself leaning slightly into him. I was relieved when he wrapped his free arm around me.

"Are you okay?" I hesitantly asked. He took a deep breath along with a sigh before answering.

"Yeah…I just…I know I'm not here anymore but I never thought you'd have to learn how to fight because of it."

"I didn't. Emmett insisted but I think he really just thinks it's hot to know that we can defend ourselves." I said shrugging. "I figured it was a good idea being in LA and all and you know , tonight was the first time I had to use it and you _were_ here so…."

"But I'm your knight in shining armor…or supposed to be. What kind of knight am I if my girlfriend could kick _my_ ass?"

"Oh you would like too much." I laughed. He chuckled but it didn't really seem right. "This isn't really about me knowing how to fight is it?"

"It seems everywhere I turn I'm reminded that I'm _not_ in your life like I want to be."

I took a deep breath and tried to figure out what I wanted to say to him, but I really didn't have a clue. I wanted to tell him to change it. I wanted to tell him he had a choice; so many choices and he wasn't making any of them except the one to be the star singer that didn't seem to have any time for the people that used to matter to him. I wanted to pull my hair out and yell at him.

I wanted to kiss him senseless and let him know that I was with him now and we had a week to be _us_ again. I wanted to make him feel better for not being there for me, which I know is ridiculous because I'm not happy about it. I wanted to love him despite my earlier withholding statement.

"You're here now." I said as I moved to straddle his lap. His hands instinctively gripped around my waist and I leaned down and kissed him.

"Bella…" He said interrupting me. I just looked at him waiting for the rest of the statement. "You said that we wouldn't be…and if this goes any further I'm not going…"

I shut him up with another kiss.

**A/N: Yeah I know see, it's short but I really had a hard time with it so I ended it a decent point (or at least I think it's a decent point). It's definitely a filler chapter but next chapter will be the Grammy awards and Valentine's Day. **

**Hope you're ready for some drama!!!!!!**

**P.S. Please be kind with your reviews on this one…..**


	19. A Decision

_Apparently the first post of this didn't post correctly - trying again! If you get double notification - sorry._

**A/N: So who saw **_**New Moon**_** this weekend? I'm hoping most of my readers did! I enjoyed it – minus a few things that I could sit here and nitpick about but I won't. Acting was better so that made me happy. **

**Can I say though – the ending made me laugh simply because it really was the best place to leave it hanging! Please if you feel the need to discuss, do not give away the ending for anyone who hasn't seen it. I don't want to ruin it. :-)**

**Now, don't hate me (or Bella) for this chapter. It's a BIG one.**

**A Decision**

* * *

Commercial "holiday" from hell.

February fourteenth.

Valentine's Day.

I've never understood _why_ women make such a big deal out of this so called holiday. It's pointless. They make their men do stupid things to prove they love them. Honestly, shouldn't that be a two-way street all year round? I think so. And what's the point of spending a ridiculous amount of money on roses that will die within a week, chocolate that you will just eat, or a stuff animal that sings a crazy song that you will eventually throw away or lose?

Cynical? A little bit, yes. More so this year than any other year? Definitely a yes.

It's not that I wanted to actually celebrate Valentine's Day with Edward, but I didn't really want to be completely alone. Yet here I am leaving the sanctuary of my house to hide in the library.

"Are you sure you're okay with leaving...?" Rose asked for the hundredth time as I walked towards the door.

"Rose, yes I am. Really it's fine. I have to do some running and then I also have a paper I need to start research on at the library. I'll need to be there for a few hours."

"I feel like we're running you out of the house though Bells." Emmett said.

"Really its fine guys…just promise you'll be quiet by say about…midnight?" I asked laughing. They both laughed but nodded their agreement. I smiled then headed towards the door again. I was almost out of it when Rose stopped me again.

"Are you sure you're okay with being alone?" She asked with nothing but concern in her eyes. I sighed and looked down at my feet before answering.

"Yeah."

"Have you talked to him since the Grammy awards?"

"No."

The Grammy Awards – yet another reason I'm not enjoying this Valentine's Day. It's been five days since he dropped me off at the house after what can only be described as disastrous evening.

---

Alice and Rose had spent a total of four hours getting me ready for the award show. The dress they found is gorgeous to say the least. A gold fleck silk strapless gown that hugs me in all the right places; paired with borrowed jewelry from Rose and new shoes that I'll never wear again, I looked damn good.

It went unnoticed by Edward, or at least he didn't take the time to say anything to me.

Jacob noticed.

"I seem to always find you alone." Jake whispered in my ear at the Grammy after party. I was once again left at a table by myself while Edward went off socializing with people that apparently I wasn't good enough to meet.

"Yeah for some reason I get left alone a lot these days." I said with obvious anger. I saw Jake's surprised look at my tone.

"You're pissed." He said handing me the glass of champagne,

"You could say that." I said tipping the glass on end and chugging it.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Don't you have people you need to mingle…"

"God no. I hate these things. The rest of the guys do the mingling. I just don't like it."

"Oh are the rest of the band members here?"

"Somewhere." He shrugged. "So you wanna talk…"

"I don't want to bore you with my complaining."

"That's what friends are for right?" He said as he motioned for another glass of champagne. I then proceeded to dump all my frustrations with Edward onto Jacob and he listened while I droned on for an hour.

"I'll take it from here Jacob." Edward said through clenched teeth.

"Oh you finally want to acknowledge your gorgeous girlfriend?" Jacob said standing up.

"Come on Bella, let's get you home." He said taking my hand. I hesitated and glanced up at Jake who was eyeing me thoughtfully.

"Talk to you later Jake." I said with a heavy sigh then followed Edward out to our waiting car. It didn't take long for the blowup from Edward.

"What the hell are you doing talking to him?!"

"Someone to talk to. Better than sitting by myself all night." I hissed.

"He's notorious for…"

"Yes I know what he's notorious for."

"You sure don't act like it."

Our conversation halted for the rest of the drive back to my house. When we pulled into the drive he didn't move from his position.

"You're not coming in are you?"

"No. I'm flying out tonight for England."

"Okay." I said as the driver came around and open my door. "Walk me to the door?"

"Can't. I have to get going." He said. I sighed leaned over, kissed his cheek, and then got out of the car.

"Bye." I said before slamming the door.

---

Before I realized it I had made it to the library. I pushed the thoughts of the Grammy Awards into the back of my mind. The last thing I needed to be thinking about was my latest fight with Edward while I'm trying to write a paper.

I'll do some running first.

Unfortunately this didn't help to clear my mind; everywhere around campus was filled with nothing but happy couples holding hands. I pumped up the volume on my iPhone with my rock music to ignore it all. I was eventually brought out of my music trance by the tone of an incoming call.

Try as I might, my heart sped up at the possibility that it was Edward – even though it hadn't been for the last five days.

I turned the music off and accepted the call without looking to see who it was from.

"Talk to me." I said while I continued my run.

"Uh…Bells?" A deep voice asked.

"Jake?"

"Yeah. What are you doing? You sound like you're…uh…breathing heavy."

I had to laugh at what his tone was implying.

"I'm running."

"Wait. You're running? Like still running and talking to me?"

"Yes…"

"Impressive. So what are you doing tonight?"

"I really should go to the library and work on a paper but I'm just not in the mind set to so I don't know. Why?"

"Well…I know it's Valentine's Day…" He said but when I snorted he stopped talking and gave a quick chuckle. "Okay…so that doesn't seem to bother you any. None of us guys believe in this so called holiday and neither do the girls so we were all going out to dinner and I was wonder if you wanted to join? I know Edward's over in England right now and…just hang out with some friends. I thought you might want to meet the rest of the Pack…"

"That sounds like fun. I just have one request."

"Sure."

"I can't go home right now, but I need to take a shower since I'm running. Could I meet you at your place and clean up a little?"

"Oh of course."

---

Two hours later I was walking into the restaurant with Jake to meet up with the rest of the band.

As expected they were all pretty much like Jake in the looks department. All had dark brown skin, black hair, and gorgeous dark eyes.

It was clear that Sam is the leader of the group of guys and his wife Emily looked at him with all the love in the world. I tried not to dwell on those feelings that were palpable in the room. Paul was sitting next to Sam and the woman at his side was introduced to me at Rachel. The tone in Jake's voice caused me to throw him a question glare.

"My older sister."

"Ah I see."

"Jake's still a little sore about it sometimes, but I'm the older sibling so he can just learn to deal with it."

"Make sense to me." I laughed.

"Yeah whatever. So that's Jared and Sarah. Embry and Irina."

"Nice to meet you all."

"So you're Edward's girl huh?" Embry said.

"Um yeah."

"I'm surprised you came out then. I've heard he's a bit…"

"Let it go Paul." Jake interrupted. "Any ways…Quil, Seth, and Leah will be joining us later.

"Um who? And later?"

"Friends of ours and after dinner we're going back to my place to party a little. Is that okay?" He asked and I shrugged in agreement. "Great!"

Dinner was relaxing. Everyone was very welcoming and seemed to acknowledge pretty quickly my lack of interest in conversations regarding Edward. I was having fun with friends – friends that didn't have any kind of tie to him and I wanted to capitalize on it. It's not that I don't like hanging out with Em, Jazz, Rose, and Ali, but they are all friends with Edward too so it's hard for us to not have conversations that somehow involve him.

The break was nice.

After dinner, I rode back to Jake's house with him, where my loving car was waiting for me.

"When did you get a new car Jake?" A stocky young man asked as Jake and I stepped out of his car. The kid was still eyeing my car so he hadn't noticed someone beside Jake standing pretty close to him. Jake didn't respond to his question so the kid turned and looked our way. "Oh holy shit…who are you? Damn Jake…nice going." The kid said eyeing me.

I had to laugh. "You must be Quil. I'm Bella and that's my car you're eye-fucking."

"I like her." Quil said to Jake before turning his full attention on me. "Nice to meet you Bella." He said offering his hand as the rest of the group pulled into the driveway, including another new car.

"Awesome, Leah and Seth just pulled up…time to start this party." Jake said recognizing the new car.

"Who's the new chick?!" Seth loudly asked as they all approached our group of three.

"Seth, Leah this is Bella S…"

"Swan?!" Seth exclaimed. "Whoa, Jake either you're brave or an idiot…or both. Edward's gonna be so beyond pissed that his chick is spending time with you on Valentine's Day."

"Wait…_you're_ Edward Cullen's arm candy." Leah snorted. It was obvious that I took offense to what she had just said. I didn't know her but I wasn't going to just stand there and let her insinuate something like that. Jake shifted his feet uncomfortably picking up on my mood shift.

"Well…first off. Edward can just get over the fact that I'm spending a Friday night with friends – screw what day the rest of the country considers it. Secondly, he doesn't own me so I can do whatever I please with whomever I want to do it with. And thirdly…" I said directly turning to Leah. "I am not his _arm candy_ as you so bitchily put it. I have never been and will never be someone's _arm candy_. I am not a trophy girlfriend and obviously _Cullen_ doesn't think that either or he wouldn't always be leaving me alone for someone else to possibly snatch up, now would he?"

Everyone just stared at me and Leah, waiting for Leah to probably rip my throat out. Having been friends with Rosalie for about six years, I could spot a bitch a mile away and Leah is definitely a bitch.

"Huh…I like you. Let's go take some shots. Name your poison." She said grabbing my hand.

"Tequila."

"Yep definitely like – a lot." She laughed.

"She's managed to get Leah to like her? She's a keeper." I heard Quil say behind us followed by a quick smack. "Ow Jake."

"Well shut it."

A good three hours later I realized it was midnight and there was no way I was driving home any time soon. We had all been sitting around just talking and playing random games people came up with – Truth or Dare, Never Have I Ever, Bullshit, Asshole, Kings…you name it. If someone brought it up and we played.

Two in the morning finally showed up and I realized that some of my new friends were heading off towards the door to leave. I was in the process of getting my butt of the couch when my cell phone rang. I didn't even get a greeting out before my ear drum was being assaulted.

"Ah oh thank you…you're okay. Where the hell have you been?!" Rose yelled into the phone.

"Um with Jake and the guys and…."

"What?!"

"I went out to dinner with Jake to meet the rest of the band and their women and now we've been partying at his house."

"Are you drunk?"

"Yes. Yes I am. I was about to go to bed when you called me."

"I was worried. Emmett and I woke up and I realized you weren't home yet and it was two in the morning and…you scared the shit out of me. If Alice had been the one here at the house, she would have called the cops before even trying to call your cell."

"I know. I didn't call because I didn't want to interrupt you and I really did think I'd be home by midnight like I told you but I didn't expect to have to match the tequila drinking champ shot for shot so…yeah." I laughed.

"All right, well stay there, lock your bedroom door. I don't trust that Jake guy."

"Okay Rosie. Love you." I laughed then hung up. I had no sooner hung up with her when my phone rang again. I didn't look at the caller ID assuming Rose had just forgotten to tell me something. "What Ro…"

"What the hell Bella?" Edward screamed loud enough that everyone around me heard him. Their eyebrows all shot up and then they tried to act like they weren't interested by turning their backs, but I'm not stupid.

"You tell me. You're the one calling me at two in the morning."

"I just got word that you spent your evening with Black."

"I did and the rest of the Pack and their significant others and I'm actually still with them."

"What…I….Jesus Christ Bella…what the hell are you doing?"

"You know what I find absolutely hilarious in this situation?" I asked then waited for him to respond, of course he didn't so I continued. "The fact that I haven't spoken to you in five days – not since you practically kicked me out of the limo after the Grammy party with not even a kiss or a good bye or anything and _now_ you're calling because you got _word_ that I spent my evening with Jake. Not because you wanted to talk to me or say you love me or miss me – oh no. You called so you could bitch me out for spending time with friends."

"What about your other friends – you know the ones that don't want to get into your pants." He hissed.

"Oh you mean the ones that spent Valentine's Day up each others' asses? Yeah because that's _exactly_ how I wanted to spend my Friday; reminded constantly that I was, once again, alone. Thank you for that asshole. Nope I thought feeding my face with unhealthy junk food and then drowning my sorrows with tequila was the better way to go."

"Valentine's Day?" He almost whispered.

"Um yep. That would have been yesterday. February fourteenth if I'm not mistaken. It was _so_ nice to hear from my boyfriend of almost three years too by the way. You know the one who _says _he loves me but lately only loves his career. Yeah I've never felt more like a cheap used trophy whore in my life. You seem to only need or want me around when it comes time to do a huge public appearance – where you can show me off."

Okay so as soon as the words were out of my mouth I semi-regretted them. They are definitely a low blow because I know that's not how he feels. He's never made me feel that way. I wasn't kidding earlier with Leah, if he really thought of me as a trophy he wouldn't leave me alone – he wouldn't want to chance losing his trophy. But not only am I beyond mad at him I am also highly intoxicated so the words just flew out of my mouth without a second thought. Leah flipped her ahead around at my words and gave me an evil smirked.

I heard the sharp intake of breath over the phone snapping me back to the reality at hand.

"Bella, I am so sorry. Once again I've been a complete dick and I'm…"

"Yeah you're sorry and nothing you say will be able to convey it to me. It's the same story every time Edward…"

"I…I don't have the words. I…I do love you and I do need you. Can we talk later when you've slept some of your alcohol off?"

"…yeah."

"Okay. Call me later."

"Will you answer?"

"Yes. I will. I promise." He said and I caught myself holding back a snort at yet another promise I was sure he would break.

"Yeah okay, fine, I'll call you later. When is too late in England time for…"

"Never. Please just call me."

"I will."

"I love you."

"You keep saying that." I said then hung up the phone. "Nice meeting you all. Jake I'll see you later." I said to everyone standing around me before I headed in the direction of the guest room.

If it wasn't for the amount of alcohol consumed in the course of four hours, sleep would have definitely evaded me. As it turned out, the consumption of the alcohol let me pass out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

It did not, however, allow for a dreamless sleep or a long sleep.

I slowly opened my eyes to take in the sunlight streaming in the windows, glad that at least the sun was shining. The only problem with that was it pierced my eyes and made my headache jump to life.

"Great." I moaned as I rolled over to grab my phone. "You've got to be kidding me…eight. Why am I am wide awake at eight in the morning…"

Well eight in the morning or not, I was wide awake and new sleep would definitely not come back to me. I suppose now was as good as any to start the world's best hangover cure.

After a two mile run, two bottles of electrolyte filled water, and a cold shower I was good as new. It was now ten in the morning so I knew I needed to be headed home. Unfortunately Jake wasn't awake yet and I really didn't want to wake him knowing that he would also have a horrible hangover but I felt that leaving a note wasn't good enough.

Having had to wake up Emmett after a night of drinking, I knew how to approach a man the size of a tree when trying to wake them. Very loudly – no surprises. They tend to freak out and grab a hold of you thinking you're an intruder.

Yes, I speak from experience.

So knocked really loudly on the door. Nothing. My next step was to just throw open the door. Still no movement from the bed.

"Jake!" I yelled. He jumped ten feet into the air and landed wide-eyed staring at me. I could tell his headache hadn't registered with him yet.

"What the…ohhh that's painful." He said falling back into his pillows.

"I assumed you'd be a little sore this morning. Here's some special water for you…trust me on this it'll help. An ice cold washcloth for your forehead, and aspirin." I said setting everything on his bedside table.

"What is this? The Bella Swan hangover cure?" He asked reaching for the water.

"Eh it's a version of it. Unless you want to run two miles this is the next best thing."

"You ran this morning?" He groaned. I nodded. His response was the roll of eyes and chugging of the water.

"You okay this morning? He asked taking in my expression.

"I'm out of here Jake. I have to start the paper I was supposed to start last night and then also deal with some stuff." I said ignoring his question.

"Yeah yeah whatever. I know. All right. Well thanks for hanging out last night. Sorry I'm not in better shape this morning to see you to the door."

"It's fine. Call me later when you get to feeling better." I said patting his shoulder then walking out.

---

Instead of going home after I left Jake's I went to the library to start the research paper I was going to start the night before. It didn't take long for me to give up on it and head on home.

When I arrived, I was relieved to discover that the whole house was empty. I needed to think about what I was going to say to Edward when I finally called him; which, of course, I needed to be doing since it was now about 3 in the afternoon in L.A., making it really late in London.

I decided on a bath first. I grabbed a bottle of wine from the kitchen then headed towards my bedroom to pick up my music. I needed to relax, rejuvenate, and prepare myself.

I walked into my room with the sole purpose of grabbing my iHome so I didn't bother looking around. I had just picked it up off my desk, spun around to headed back out when I dropped everything in my arms, luckily the carpet was soft enough to cushion the blow of the wine bottle.

My room was filled with roses of all colors and there sitting perfectly in the center of my bed holding a huge stuffed teddy bear with a big red heart on it was Edward.

My Edward who looked like he hadn't slept in over a day. My Edward who looked so pale he looked sick.

Frustration pulsed through me. He did it again. He screwed up and now he thinks he can buy his way out of the doghouse. Plus, I knew him being here in person being all charming would really make the upcoming conversation harder than I had originally anticipated.

"What are you doing here?" I finally asked. "And what is all this crap?"

"I thought you wanted…I missed Valentine's Day and…I…" He said then took a deep breath before exhaling loudly. I just stared at him. "You weren't mad because I missed Valentine's Day were you."

"No, Edward I wasn't. You know I don't want material things to show you love me. I want a phone call. I don't care if it's a holiday or just some random ass day in the middle of a month. I need to know you still love me and that you trust me."

"I do trust you."

It didn't go unnoticed he only touched on the trust statement but I ignored it.

"You have a funny way of showing it. That little phone call I got earlier this morning…"

"I'm sorry. I overreacted. I know you prefer to hang out with guys. It's just I don't like the way Jacob looks at you. It reminds me of how…of how I look at you. He wants you Bella and I just can't…"

"That hurts Edward because if you truly trusted me the way you say you do then it shouldn't matter how Jake looks at me. You know I could never hurt you like that and I certainly would never cheat on you."

"I know. I just freaked out because I _know_ I've been a shit the last few days and then when I heard you were out with Jacob – they didn't tell me you were out with the whole lot of them so I thought it was like a date or something – I just thought you had given up on me…on us. I thought I had lost you." He said then sniffed to indicate he was crying.

That last sentence of his was the one I was hoping wouldn't get said until later in the conversation because it made me _have_ to say what I knew I needed to say. What I had been planning to say. I had to make him see what he was doing to me. It would hurt us both but I couldn't go on in a relationship the way we were going. I took a deep breath and wiped the tears that had already started falling knowing what my next sentence was going to be.

"Honestly, you're about to lose me." I said. He jerked his head up faster than I thought was possible. There was an infinite amount of panic written on his face and in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. He just sat there staring at me. I wiped more tears that were falling before trying to speak again.

"Edward, I can't do this anymore. I just can't. I need more of you than what you're capable of giving me right now…"

"No I can…I can be better. I can be what you want." He said finally standing up and walking towards me. "You can't leave me…you can't. I need you."

"Not right now you don't need me. Don't you see that trying to keep this relationship together is hurting us both?"

"But we'll hurt so much more without each other." He pleaded.

"But we're not really together right now anyways. Think about it Edward. I see you for award shows and when you screw up. That's not a relationship. I don't talk to you but about once every two or three weeks. That's not a relationship. We're no longer in a relationship, not like we used to be. We haven't been for about a year now. Admit it." I said though my tears.

"Please Bella. Please don't do this…" he cried as he fell to his knees in front of me.

"I'm sorry Edward. Please know I love you and will always only love you and maybe in the future we can be us again, but your career needs you right now and I'm just interfering."

"No…no you're not. I've just been stupid. Please." He begged again grabbing my hands.

"Please stand up. I can't survive this if I don't think you're okay." I said.

"If you don't want this then why are you doing it?"

"I'm doing it because I have to not because I want to."

"That doesn't make any sense. I love you Bella. Please."

"Edward…" I said with a sigh. "Edward, leave." I finally said then just stood there looking at him. He hung his head but slowly stood up in front of me.

"I will but not before I say this. I love you more than life. If I can't have you in it then it's not worth living – no matter what kind of fame or fortune I hold. I will not let you go easily. You're mine. Only mine. Know that." He said but I couldn't look at him. "Good bye, my love." He added as he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Good bye for now."

I felt him walk past me out of the bedroom and then I heard the front door click close. As soon as I heard that I collapsed to my bedroom floor crying harder than I've ever cried in my life.

Suddenly a quiet home was the last thing I wanted.

* * *

**A/N: Um yeah so like I said please don't hate. I will post the next chapter quicker than I have lately since I will only be working three days this week. Plus I **_**know**_** everyone will want the next one quick. As always - keep the faith. I am definitely on Team Edward.**

**And if I don't post again before Thursday – to my American readers – HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! **


	20. The Aftermath

**A/N: Holy cow guys!?! You are all awesome! The reviews on the previous chapter were great. I'm touched, truly I am. Means a lot that so many of you love this story so much. **

**It was requested I do an Edward POV. I've been considering it and if I do it at all it would be this section of the story. What would you all like to have; a full chapter EPOV or a short snippet or nothing at all? Please share your opinion.**

**Obviously this means this chapter is still Bella.**

**The Aftermath**

* * *

I can't tell you how long I laid on my floor or how I made it to bed and I can't tell you when I stopped crying. But I can tell you that I woke up in my bed with my two best friends lying next to me with their arms around me.

"Ali? Rose?" I croaked. They both instantly shot straight up.

"Oh Bella." They both said before grabbing me into a hug and sobbing.

"We've been so worried about you." Alice said still sobbing into my shoulder.

"What day is it?" I asked.

"It's only Monday afternoon…three in the afternoon to be exact." Rose said wiping her eyes. It was then I realized that neither of them had makeup on and they looked like _they_ hadn't slept in days.

"What…I don't understand."

"Well after Edward called us and told us it was okay to come back home…besides instantly knowing something was wrong, we rushed back here and found you curled up in the fetal position on your floor crying your eyes out." Rose explained.

"We tried to get you to calm down and talk to us so we would know what happened but you just cried. We couldn't even get you up off the floor and into bed. We had to call the boys to help us. They of course rushed over here. Emmett got you off the floor and into bed but you never once said a word or stopped crying." Alice further explained.

"You've been in here since then. You eventually ran out of tears but you've just slept – almost comatose like since. We've been so scared. Both of us haven't left the house and we've been staying in here with you as much as we can just in case you wake up…"

"But you two look like you haven't slept." I interrupted.

"We haven't not really. Emmett and Jasper have been over here too fielding the constant calls from Edward." Alice said but trailed off when my face dropped.

"He's been calling?"

"Almost every hour."

"Oh…so I suppose you want to know what happened."

"We'd like to know from your point of view plus the tabloids have speculated and we just…" Rose said while still trying to comfort me.

"I ended it." I said with a sigh. "I just couldn't deal with it anymore. I know I told him I would be supportive of his career but I…" I said but started crying again.

"Shhh…it's okay. You don't need to tell us anymore." Alice said.

"Wh…what are…what's the rumor?" I said through my sobs.

"Are you sure you want to know?" Alice asked. I just nodded. "Well they're saying there was infidelity…on your part with Jake."

"I kind of assumed. Has Jake called?"

"Only once. Emmett got a hold of your phone before either of us could. We hadn't talked to Edward yet so we didn't know anything except the reports and Emmett just blew up at him."

"Great." I said then paused a second. "So you two have talked to Edward then?"

"Yes. He truly is worried about you." Rose said. I nodded again.

"Honey, if this is so hard on you…are you sure it's the right thing to do? It's only been a couple of days and you're both miserable." Alice cautiously said.

"I am going to be miserable with either decision." I shrugged. "Can I go back to sleep now? I promise I'll get up tomorrow. I have to get back into my routine…"

"Okay." They said then got up and walked out.

I fell back into my daily routine rather quickly, probably out of necessity. I needed normality in my life somewhere and keeping my routine was the only way I was going to get it.

Everywhere I went I was hounded by press and even other students. They all wanted the same thing – details. I couldn't tell you how many times I said 'no comment' in just the first week alone.

The only places I was able to escape were in the workout room, which I would lock to keep others out, the softball fields, and the house. Everywhere…and I mean everywhere else, I was never able to get a moment of peace. I had even gotten to the point where I almost turned my phone off. If it wasn't for my mom calling and even Esme, I would have.

Edward had made a point to call at least once a day. Jacob had started calling as well and let's not even mention the random unknown numbers that were constantly popping up. Unless the caller ID said _Rose_, _Alice_, _Emmett_, _Jasper_, _Mom_, or _Edward_ _Home_, I ignored it.

I ignored a lot actually. If it didn't revolve around school or softball I had nothing to do with it. I didn't want to. All I wanted to do was get through each day without breaking down. And it was very hard.

After I mindlessly went through each day I would usually come home and lock myself in my room before breaking down. Like clockwork – every day.

---

"_Coach is worried she won't be able to play this weekend."_ I heard Rose say to who I guess was probably Alice. As always I was locked away in bedroom and I'm sure they thought I had drifted off into another nightmare filled sleep since I had stopped crying, but I had just run out of tears.

"_Why? She's been at practice and is doing just fine. We can't take that away from her too. She needs softball." _

God love Alice.

"_Yes I know this but coach seems to think that she's not emotionally stable enough to play in anymore games…"_

"_What is she afraid Bella's gonna flip her lid on some unsuspecting player? Psh…seriously? We're talking about Bella here."_

"_Again, I know this. I'm just telling you what coach said. With the championship games approaching do you think we should warn Bella that…"  
_

"_No because if we do then she'll just alter herself around Dori to ease her worries." _Alice said and even I heard her sigh from the living room. _"I am so worried about her Rose. It's been three months. _Three_. She just hasn't…she's so depressed and it's not right and she's still ignoring him and…is there nothing we can do?"_

"_I don't know Ali. I just don't know. I do know that I want our Bells back. I miss her terribly."_

Three months? Seriously? I'd honestly been in this funk for three months? I rolled over and grabbed my cell phone to check the date. After clearing off the missed call screen of fifteen numbers – seven from Edward, four from Jake, and four from unknowns – I finally found my calendar.

Yep, definitely three months. It's May 20th. I tried hard not to think about the date because if I did I would dwell on the fact that in exactly two days, it would have been our three year anniversary.

Not something I wanted to think about.

I've had to keep reminding myself that this was my decision and I had a good reason for it, but it was getting harder and harder to remember exactly why. I miss him so much and even though I hadn't really talked him much before the breakup, I still missed him now.

His incessant calling and texting wasn't helping either. Although most of the times it just pissed me off. I wanted to answer and just yell at him. How come when we were together he couldn't ever find the time to call me and even after telling me he would try and what not, he still couldn't. But oh…tell him it's over and walk out of his life and he's all about calling. What the hell?

When his calling didn't anger me though, it made me cry even harder because I knew he was hurting and him hurting hurt me more.

But if I forgave him and went crawling back to him (like part of me desperately wanted to) would he see me as the weaker person and think that he could get away with anything in our relationship and even if I ended it, I would go back to him? Would he just go back to the way he was before and stop calling me and act like I don't exist unless it convenienced him?

No, I couldn't go back to him so ignoring him was my only option.

---

"_You'd think after almost four months of her not answering his calls or returning them he'd give up." _

Ah the boys were over tonight. Emmett's voice carried miles, even if he was trying to be quiet. God love him.

"_He's in love."_ I could just see Jasper shrug as he said the words. _"So did the coach decide if she's gonna let Bella play in the championship series this week?"_

"_Yes but only because Dori says we need Bella's frustration and skills on the field."_ Rose laughed.

Laughter…I hadn't laughed in almost four months.

"_When exactly do the games start?"_ Emmett inquired and even from my confines I could hear the mischievous tone but apparently no one else did.

"_The series starts the day after tomorrow. Arizona's gonna be stiff competition but I really think we've got this in the bag. Aiming for two in a row…er…well five if you count high school."_ Alice answered him and then they all were quiet for a minute.

"_Have any of you heard his new song yet?"_ Jasper asked. I heard a chorus of sad 'yeses.' _"It's so sad…he's not fairing much better than her. Have you seen him recently? He looks like shit ran over twice. He looks like a zombie. He's obviously not eating or sleeping. I don't know how he's keeping his energy up enough to perform on stage."_

"_He is looking pretty bad. But Bella doesn't look much better. The only thing I've seen her eat in the past months has been granola bars, apples, and all she drinks is that stupid vitamin water. She has to be eating more otherwise her strength would be gone and she wouldn't be able to keep going in softball." _Rose chimed in.

"_She looks like the walking dead as well." _Emmett chuckled.

I yanked myself out of bed and to a mirror. Surely I didn't look like the walking dead. I turned on my bedroom light and stared at my reflection in the mirror.

Okay so they were right. I looked horrible. If Edward looked this bad, I'm surprised they hadn't canceled his contract and sent him on his way. I'm sure he still looked sexy though…just like a sexy zombie…or maybe a vampire. Vampires are naturally hotter than zombies. The media was probably comparing him to vampires. That headline would sell magazines for sure.

I rolled my eyes at myself with my thoughts. I was dangerously close to losing my mind. I've now started thinking vampires and zombies could possibly be hot.

I needed human contact again.

I walked slowly toward my bedroom door and quietly opened it.

"Did you hear something?" I heard Alice ask.

"Would you relax, please? We do not have ghosts in this house. I promise you." Rose said.

"I swear we do. I've been hearing strange noises late at night and they never come from Bella's room so it's not her dreaming or anything like that. We have ghosts! I swear!" Alice said adamantly.

Alice was wrong of course. It was me she was hearing. I would get up and fix myself food while they were both asleep. I suppose I now needed to stop that since little Alice had started to believe we had ghosts.

"Whatever Ali. I still love you even though you've become slightly delusional." Jasper laughed. Rose and Emmett joined in. I came around the corner to see them laughing while Alice had her little arms crossed against her chest.

The look on her face made me smile and even though I tried, a small chuckle escaped my lips. All four heads snapped my direction.

"Bella!" They all shouted. Emmett was the first to me. He wrapped me up into a giant bear hug and swung me around.

"Oh Hellz Bells! I've missed you!"

"Air, Em." I laughed. He dropped me immediately. They all just stood there staring at me, I felt like I was on display. "Um…I've missed you all."

"Oh Bella! I'm so happy!" Alice screamed as she launched herself at me. Luckily she's light weight so I was able to catch her and not fall over.

"Calm yourself pixie." I said giving her a half smile. "Look guys I want to…um…apologize for the last four months. Honestly I didn't even realize that much time had passed."

"No need to apologize to us." Jasper said as he approached me. "We're just glad you're back…you are back aren't you?"

"I think so." I said with a tight smile.

"We'll work with that." Rose said.

"I'm so excited! We are wanting to go out tomorrow night before the championship…" Alice started to say but I cut her off.

"No. I'm not ready to go out…or shopping so don't even think about it."

"Okay but you will be doing those things soon." She said with her tone telling me I didn't really have a choice.

Even though I was out of my self-imprisonment, my friends still acted cautious around me and no one mentioned Edward or the fact that he was still calling me.

I was pleased at my timing…with the championship series starting only a day after I decided to be human again, I didn't have a lot of free time to figure out how I was going to spend my time.

The first game of our series was on Friday with the second on Saturday, both in LA. We won these sending us to Arizona up two games. The series is best of seven so we were hoping to end it in Arizona.

We were up to bat in the bottom of the ninth, in the fourth game of the series. We were down a run and I was up to bat, with two outs. I had to score to give us a shot in extra innings. After hitting an infield grounder I started rounding the bases. First…second…third. I was headed home even though our third base coach told me to stop. I saw the ball being tossed towards home plate as I came within sliding range so I did. I slid – straight into the waiting sheens of their catcher. I instantly felt my knee wrench the wrong direction and swell instantly.

"Out!" The ump yelled.

Well hell…I've ruined my knee and all for nothing. Back to LA we go for the fifth game. At least we get a two day break – hoping my knee would be good to go. I can't miss a game. I refuse to miss a game.

"Bella!" I heard Rose and Alice yelling as they ran onto the field. I started to stand up but had a lot of difficulty since I couldn't put any weight on my left knee.

"Ah hell." I groaned as I collapsed into the side of Rose.

"Jesus Bells…let's get you into the locker room so they can look at ya." Rose said as she and Alice each took a side.

"Yeah, yeah…sorry I lost the game." I mumbled.

"Nonsense. We'll get back home." Alice said.

After a quick examination by our on-staff doctor, it was determined I just twisted it pretty badly. They wrapped it up, threw me some crutches, and a bottle of pain medicine before sending me on my way.

Once we got back home, I was all but tied to my bed or couch. If I had to get up anywhere, Emmett or Jasper took me. It was ridiculous. I mean they gave me crutches for a reason, right? But oh no…between Ali and Rose and Coach, I was never left alone – afraid I would hurt it more and that I would over do it and no be able to play the game.

Well the game showed up and I still wasn't cleared to play.

"I am playing." I said as I dressed.

"You can't. The doctor said that if you try to play today you take a chance on really screw it up and possibly ruining your chances to ever play again." Rose said.

"I don't care. I am playing."

"We can't let you and you know Gina won't let you." Alice said taking my cleat away from me.

"I _am._" I all but yelled as I snatched my shoe back from her and put it on.

"You are _so_ stubborn! Why are you insisting on this when you damn well know you could ruin your future career in…" Rose started saying but I glared at her and she stopped.

"Don't you get it? I _have_ to play. Softball is all I have left…I need it. Do not ruin this for me. You got it?"

They both nodded but didn't say anything. We finished getting dressed and headed out towards the field. Of course Coach Gina flipped out.

"No, no, no, no…you are not playing." Gina said when she saw me. "You can't even walk without limping…what in the hell makes you think you're playing?"

"I know I'm playing. Just…just shoot me with some cortisone or something. I'm playing whether you give me the shot or not, it'll just be easier if I don't feel the pain."

"Isabella…" She clearly started to scold me but I just stared at her. "Fine…but we're putting in a pinch runner."

We won but by the end of it I was in more pain than you could possibly imagine and I think as punishment for insisting on playing Coach made me do the after game interviews.

I was headed towards the locker room…limping quite a bit and basically dragging my left leg behind me…when I felt my knee start to give out on me.

I've never been surer that I would be hitting the floor. I closed my eyes and braced for the impact.

"Bella!" A male voice yelled and then two strong arms were wrapped securely around me.

I slowly opened my eyes and looked at the arms that were surrounding me.

Dark russet arms.

Jacob.

"Jake?" I squeaked. He just laughed. "What are you doing here?" I asked as he set me up on my good leg.

"Well I came to the game to see you play and then I…well…since you aren't answering my calls anymore I thought I'd just stop by and see you."

"I'm not answering anybody's phone calls Jake." I sighed as I leaned against the wall in the hallway.

"Why?" He said and something about the way he said it and the way he looked, it just irked me. He was whining that I wasn't talking to him.

"Because I don't want anything to do with anyone right now…"

"But you left him. Why are you being so ridiculous about it? You obviously wanted out. You should be happy about your single status."

"Jake I don't want to be single. I want to be with him but it just wasn't working right now with his career and everything and we just…I had to…"

"You should move on. His career will not be slowing down anytime soon." He said as he stared at me. The expression in his eyes made me uncomfortable. "I think you should move on with me." He finished as he leaned down towards me.

"Jake…." I said placing my hands on his chest to stop his movement forward.

"Come on Bells…you know the attraction is there."

Was he for real? Yeah, okay, I thought he was pretty attractive but I wasn't attracted to him. I only wanted one man. I would always only want one man.

Edward. My Edward. _My Edward_. What the heck was I doing? Why did I do this to us? We were both miserable. I had gotten to the point where I was risking my ability to ever play softball again because I had nothing else left?

I _was_ going to go back to him. I need to go back to him.

"Jake, no. I love…" I said but stopped when I heard a shuffle down the hallway. I jerked my head up to see who had just stepped around the corner into the hallway. "Edward?" I breathed. He was just standing there staring at us. He was too far away for me to read his face but I knew what would be there if I could.

"You say you do but…" Jake started to say, obviously not noticing we had company.

"No you jackass. Edward." I said shoving him off of me and heading towards where Edward was standing. I only took a couple of steps when he turned and started walking away from me. "Edward!" I yelled but he continued walking.

I took a deep breath and took off running, painfully, towards him.

"Edward!" I yelled again but he didn't slow or turn around. I took a few more strides before I caught up to him. "God damn-it Edward! Stop!" I said as I grabbed his arm and yanked on it.

"Why? So you can further stomp on my heart?" He hissed through a clenched jaw as he jerked around and then wrenched his arm out of my grasp. I flinched back at his tone and facial expression.

"What?" I asked holding back tears.

"Obviously you've been ignoring my phone calls these past months because you've been spending time with...with….with that piece of shit!" He yelled.

"Ugh you are so unbelievable…my God you are so stupid sometimes." I said pulling on my hair in frustration.

"Well it doesn't take a genius to figure it out. I come around the corner to see you leaning against a wall, hands on his chest; with him leaning in…I know what's going on."

"You don't know anything." I growled.

"Did you leave me for him? Did you? Tell me." He demanded.

"NO!"

"Well I guess that doesn't really matter…you're free now to do whatever you want." He said then started turning around.

"Edward…don't do this." I said grabbing his hand.

"Funny…now that I'm doing the walking away you don't want it to happen."

"Why are you here?" I asked still holding his hand.

"I was coming to see you. You won't answer my calls. I had to see you. I had to talk to you." He said then sighed heavily. "I missed you…" He said shaking his head. "Stupid me."

"I…I miss you too." I said and he laughed without humor. "You don't believe me?"

"Good bye Isabella." He said and walked away from me. Just like last time he said good bye to me, I fell to the floor and cried my eyes out.

"Bells…" Jake said while approaching me slowly.

"Get away from me." I said through my tears. "Just…just go away."

He didn't say anything else but I didn't hear him walk away. I just sat there thinking about how this good bye was so different than his last.

His last was by my hand. His last he told me he wasn't giving up on me. His last he had still called me 'love.'

This time he just walked away.

This was all _Jake's_ fault.

By the time I saw Edward in the hallway I had made my decision. I was going to beg for forgiveness and crawl back to him. He would have welcomed me back…I know he would have. But Jake…Jake was there. Jake ruined everything.

"Bella!" Alice yelled as her little feet came into view from my seated position on the floor.

Oh and right, my friends. My friends who I knew had to have something to do with Edward being here today. Maybe not Ali or Rose, but Emmett and Jazz were definitely in on this.

If they had just let it go and let me work on my own time then today wouldn't have happened.

Okay, so I was pushing all the blame off onto other people.

This was all my fault. I shouldn't have left him in the first place. We could have worked it out. We could have found a way to figure it out.

Damn…I fucked up.

But I will fix this. I have to fix this.

* * *

**A/N: Remember there's an EPOV up for vote. Let me know what you want. PLEASE :-)**

**Also, I'm not all that happy with how this chapter ended up. I had another idea but I couldn't get it to form right and I really wanted to get this one posted for everyone…so I hope you liked it.**


	21. The Aftermath EPOV

**A/N: All right who do you love? You better say me for this quick as hell update. :-) **

**It was pretty obvious that most of you would like an EPOV…and so I am providing. However, there will not be any storyline progression (er…not much anyways – it's kind of hard not to progress a little bit). I sat down to write this story from Bella's POV and I intend to keep it that way, but I really think that some things need to be told from Edward's side. **

**This chapter will be the last chapter just told from the different POV. It begins right after he left the house.**

**The Aftermath (EPOV)**

* * *

After I closed their front door behind me I stood on the porch for another few minutes trying to process what had just happen.

Bella, _my_ Bella just ended things. How could this be? What…

_Come on Cullen, you damn well know what happened. You happened._

I sighed and pulled out my phone to call the girls.

"Edward? What's wrong?" Alice asked as soon as he answered her phone.

"Um…you two can go home." I said choking on my tears.

"But what about…"

"That's not going to be happening." I sighed trying not to think about everything that I had planned for our evening together. I admit the flowers were probably a little over the top and maybe even the teddy bear but I thought it would make her smile. It had made her livid and was the beginning of our ending….

No not our ending. I refuse to let this be our end. I need her.

"Yeah Ali um…just…you two need to get home."

"But…"

"I'll talk to you soon. Bye." I said then hung up the phone before she could ask any more questions or I couldn't hold my tears back.

I jumped in the car I had waiting around the block and headed towards the condo I had purchased in LA. I didn't want to buy a house yet since I was never in this city it seemed pointless at the time…Bella would have liked knowing I had a house in LA close to her.

This thought caused me to laugh.

"She doesn't even know you have a condo in this city idiot." I spoke out loud with no one but myself to hear.

Wow, I really have made a complete mess everything. I should have really listened to what she was telling me when we would fight, which was every time we saw each other lately. But I let my ego get in the way and think that she wouldn't leave me, that she would just put up with it. I mean, we're Edward and Bella, right? How could "us" ever end? Psh…obviously I was wrong.

Just like she had said, we hadn't been "us" for awhile. The last good time we spent together was that week after I had fucked up at Christmas. _Not _one of my finer moments. I still can't believe I didn't put my foot down with Aro harder. I told Bella I tried everything I could to get to her and my family, but who was I kidding? I could have done so much more.

And then, like the jackass I've become, I thought buying her a car would make her forget I let her down. I knew better than that. I had told her that I was going to get it for her before I screwed up, which was a partial truth. I really was going to buy her a car, but I was going to take her car shopping with me and let her pick it out.

Just add it my long list of fuck-ups since I won this stupid curse of a competition.

I sighed as I pulled my car into the garage at my condo. Once inside I did what every man in my situation would do – I opened my bottle of whiskey and chugged.

Eventually my mind went numb and the images of Bella in my head became too blurry for me to focus on anymore. This happened right before I passed out.

I had drunk the majority of the bottle so it was a dreamless sleep, for which I was very thankful for. I shutter to think what my dreams would have been like otherwise. But I woke up when my cell phone started ringing.

My heart jumped and still in a drunken stupor I grabbed it without looking at the caller ID.

"Bella?" I asked.

"Um no." Kate, my PR guru said, obviously irritated. I groaned wiping my free hand down my face. "Are you drunk?"

"Slightly."

"It's eight o'clock in the morning Edward! What the hell are you thinking?" She yelled.

The yelling was not helping the headache that was already settling in. The headache telling me that the alcohol was almost out of my system and that just was unacceptable.

"It was a rough day Kate." I said as I stood up and headed over to the bar for more liquor.

I smiled when I saw I still had whiskey left and a whole other unopened bottle.

"I've heard." She snapped.

"Excuse me?" I asked mid sip.

"I heard you spent hundreds of dollars on roses and a teddy bear for that…that _thing_ you call a girlfriend but then spent the evening alone in your condo with not so much as a light or TV on."

"Ok first of all…her name is Bella and I love her. Secondly it's beyond creepy that someone knew I came home alone and never turned on a TV. And thirdly…she's no longer my girlfriend…as of right now." I said through clenched teeth.

"Well I can't say I'm sorry. You'll do so much better without her nagging you all the time to be a _better boyfriend_ or whatever it is she bitches about all the time…"

"Kate…watch your tongue. Just because you're Aro's niece doesn't mean I won't fire your ass."

"You can't fire me buddy…I don't work for you. I work for Aro and the record company." She laughed. "Any ways we need to figure out how to work the press with this one."

"I don't care about the press. I don't care about anything right now." I said then hung up the phone, while again chugging my whiskey.

At some point I thought it would be a good idea to call Bella. I was totally wasted so how I thought this would end well was beyond me, but nonetheless I dialed her number.

"Edward." A deep voice said from other end.

"Wow…Bells…your voice got very deep since the last time I spoke to you." I slurred a little.

"Edward are you drunk?" A very angry Emmett asked.

"Um…no…" I lied then laughed. "Okay you caught me. Why are you answering Bella's phone? I want to talk to Bella."

"How much have you drank?"

"Oh about a whole fifth of Jack…not too bad if I do say so myself. I'm still breathing…unfortunately." I chuckled darkly.

"What is wrong with you man?"

Was he dense?!

"What the fuck do you mean what's wrong with me?! The love of my life told me to leave her alone…"

"That's no reason to drink yourself into oblivion."

"Tell me…what would _you_ do if _Rose_ told you to leave? Huh? Tell me, damn-it! I would sure like to know how _you_ would handle it! And tell me what if she left you because you were a complete ass and there's nothing you could do about it now because it's too late? Huh? Tell me!"

He was quiet for a second before I heard him sigh. "I don't know man. I don't know."

I sighed and ran my fingers through my disgusting hair. There was no need for me to yell at Emmett. He didn't do anything wrong here. I'm the only one to blame for the situation I was in.

"I'm sorry Em. I didn't mean to…look, I just want to talk to her." I said calmly.

"No can do buddy. She's…uh….well she's a mess. The girls came home to find her curled into a ball on her floor and she hasn't stopped crying since then. I don't know where all the tears are coming from but she's still crying. She even cries in her sleep – if you can call it sleep. I don't really think she's sleeping at all, it's more…I don't even know man."

How could that be? That doesn't make any sense to me at all. Why is she miserable? She's the one that ended it. I'm the only one that should be a mess right now.

_Because she didn't want to end it. She told you that, idiot. She felt like she had to end it._

"I gotta go man. You know if you need Jazz or I just call. We'll always be here for you."

"I know." I said then hung up.

---

'_Edward – Betrayed?'_

'_Edward, broken and bruised'_

'_Edward – the REAL story'_

Magazine covers. Trashy magazine covers. Everywhere I look I see more shit plastered everywhere and pictures of me looking less than my best by a long shot. The press had made stories up as to why Bella and I broke up. The main one being she cheated on me since I was gone all the time.

Cheated with Jacob Black. And of course they had the pictures there to "prove" it. I tried not to think about how plausible this really was because I know she would never cheat on me, but the doubt always snuck back in whenever I saw another story line.

They were trashing her and I knew it and I wanted to do something about it but I was told to not answer any questions surrounding the hoopla of my private life.

But I was getting sick of it. It's been a month since I walked out of the house. A month of her not answering my calls. A month of rumors surrounding us. A month of me having to get my information from her roommates and my friends.

I knew she was going back to classes and workouts but that she still wasn't herself. She would lock herself in her room every night and never come back out. I knew she still cried herself to "sleep." Alice and Rose would wake up throughout the night to Bella screaming constantly but couldn't get to her since she always locked her door. They told me she wasn't eating but granola bars and apples. She was a shell of her old self.

Not that I was much better. I had already gotten yelled at by Aro and Kate for my appearance. I hadn't shaved, my hair was beyond unruly, I never wore clothes that were "put together." _If_ I did a public appearance it took about thirty minutes longer in makeup because they had to figure out ways to cover the black circles and bags under my eyes from lack of sleep.

At least I had moved passed the drinking myself into a coma every night phase. Of course this meant I wasn't sleeping – note the dark circles and bags.

"What's today again?" I asked Kate as the makeup artist attempted to cover up that shit.

"Your interview with MTV about the album you're releasing next month."

"Right." I sighed. Just what I wanted right now – a press tour for a stupid album.

"Try not to make a fool of yourself, eh?" She growled.

"Sure sure." I said as I stood up out of the chair and walked towards the interview set.

After twenty minutes of stupid mundane questions, the interviewer got a look in his eyes.

Ah this ought to be good….

"So Edward about this personal life of yours…" He asked but Kate jumped in.

"You were told no questions about…"

"I want to. Go ahead." I said half interested.

"Everyone wants to know what really happened between you and long time girlfriend and extreme hottie Bella?"

Now was my time to set the record straight so everyone could get off her back…and maybe make her answer my damn phone calls.

"I screwed it up. I'm the reason _she_ ended it. I just got so caught up in this bullshit and…and I forgot what I truly wanted in life. Her." I said with a giant sigh. I was officially holding back tears now.

I'm such a pussy. A love sick pussy.

"She did what she had to do and I understand that. I love her and will always love her. She's _my_ Bella. I wrote my next single for her." I said then stood up and walked away from the guy.

It was clear to everyone but her that I wasn't letting her go easily. The only problem was that I had no idea what to do.

---

Four months. It's now been four damn months and still no response from Bella when I try to call. Four months of me still talking to only Alice and Rose or Emmett and Jasper to get information. Four months of me fighting heavily with my executive producer and manager and basically everyone at the recording company because I was "slacking" on my duties.

Four months of me telling them to shove it all up their asses. I was over it. I was done. As far as I was concerned they could kiss my ass. I had more important things to worry about.

I had to figure out how I was going to get Bella to forgive me and to make her believe I would…_could_ be that man she wanted me to be.

"So I've been thinking…" Emmett said one afternoon when I called him from the recording studio, once again pissing everyone there off.

"Lord save us." Jasper said in the background.

"Shut up dude! You liked this idea, remember? Any ways, I was thinking we need to get you and Bella back together. This whole not having you two together thing is just weirding me out."

"Ya think? I've only being trying to figure out a way since…oh four months ago."

"Stop being an ass for a second and listen. Look – the championship games start in like three days and obviously Bells will be there playing so if someone shows up after a game she wouldn't be able to hide from them."

"Are you suggesting I come to a game and get her to talk to me?"

"Yep. It's perfect. Come to one of the games, sit with us and then afterwards we'll take you back to the locker room area where you two will see each other…you'll come up with something clever to say, she'll forgive you, you'll kiss and makeup, and then we'll all live happily ever after."

Could that work?

What did I have to lose? It was better than any idea I had come up with, which was nothing of course. My brain's been so fogged the last four months I don't think I could have told anyone my address or phone number if they asked.

"I'm going to LA for a week." I said after hanging up the phone with Emmett.

"The hell you are! Cullen, we have to get this finished. No other option." Aro said.

"Actually there is another option. I'm going to LA. If you want to finish it there we can, but I'm going to be in LA for at least the next week. And since it's my voice you need to finish this I suggest you either go along with it or fire me." I said then walked out the door.

Three days later I found myself sitting in my condo deciding what to say to Bella when I saw her. I wanted to rush to her side the second my flight landed but Jasper was my voice of reason and told me I needed to come up with something to say first.

He was right. I couldn't just go running in there. I had to have the prefect lines to say. I had to make her see what she really did mean to me.

I was at the point where I was willing to give it all up for her. I had to make her believe that.

They won the first two games in LA and flew off to Arizona for the next ones. When they won the first one, I was nervous she wouldn't return to LA for another game and then my plans would be ruined…or at least dramatically changed. We'd have to get Alice and Rose in on the plan if they didn't need to play another game in LA.

Luckily or unluckily depending on how you looked at it, they lost the fourth game in the series. Bella was injured though. Badly. I didn't know what was wrong until Jasper was able to call me. He again was my words of reason when I tried to rush off and be with her. He told me to stick to the plan and it would be fine. He swore him and Emmett were taking good care of her.

She might not play the next game but she would definitely be there.

Emmett came and picked me up before the game and the three of us headed towards our seats. I had decided to shove all my hair up into a ball cap and wear sunglasses to help hide in the crowd and surprisingly it worked.

When the teams took the field and all three of us realized Bella was not only dressed for the game but was playing, we were shocked to say the least. Angry for her insisting on playing even though she couldn't even walk.

"What is she doing?" I hissed. "I thought you said she couldn't even walk on it this morning."

"She couldn't." They both said.

"Then why is she playing?"

"She's as stubborn as you are." Jasper shrugged.

"She could seriously injure herself and ruin…"

"Maybe she doesn't care anymore." Emmett threw out there.

Watching her play was painful. When she played she used to have a certain glow about her. She would smile, albeit menacingly, when she stepped up to the plate. Today she just stepped up there. No emotions in her eyes. She looked dead and unfeeling.

It was obvious her goal was to hit the ball out of the park every time but she just couldn't get it there. She would run to first, grimacing the whole time, and then they'd have a pinch runner step in for her. At least she wasn't running the bases. I think I would have run down onto the field and carried her off.

After they won the game the guys ushered me back to the locker room area. We waited outside until we were cleared to enter.

"Edward!" Alice screamed when I stepped in.

"Hey Ali." I laughed as she hugged me. Rose walked up and hugged me as well. "Hi Rose."

"Hey Edward. Good to see you. I can see you still haven't slept though."

"Ha no. Not even a little bit. Where is she?"

"Coach made her do the interviews since she insisted on playing…stupid girl." Alice laughed.

"She should be about done if you wanna go meet her on her way here." Rose suggested.

"That would be good…maybe have a second alone to talk to her." Jasper said. I nodded.

"Yeah…just go out here and take a left. Follow that hallway around and you should run into her." Alice said.

"Thank you guys…for everything. For being understanding…"

"I still think you're an ass." Rose interrupted.

"Rosalie…" Emmett said.

"No she's right. I have not even come close to making up for all of that shit but I intend to…if she lets me that is."

"She will. I have a feeling." Alice chirped. "Go before you miss her." She added shoving me out into the hall.

With one more heavy sigh I took off the direction I was told. I was still running through my mind of things I would say to her. Of course I could come up with whatever I wanted and it would all be a moot point if she wanted nothing to do with me.

Oh shit…what will I do if she doesn't want anything to do with? If she won't even give me a second chance to make this right between us? What if no matter what I say to her she won't believe me? What if she thinks I will just go right back to putting my career before her? What if…

I turned the corner in the hall and came face to face with what was going to be my next 'what if' scenario in my head.

What if she has moved on and is seeing Jake?

"Edward?" I heard her question. Her hands were firmly on his chest and he was leaning in towards her. They were getting ready to kiss.

How could I be so stupid?! She wasn't answering my phone calls because she was moving on. Moving on with him. _Him_ of all people. Of course she would move on. She's the one that ended things.

Jesus I'm so stupid and blind! Embarrassment and anger and sadness were pulsing through me. I had to get out of there. I quickly turned on my heals and started walking back the way I had come.

"Edward!" She yelled again but I just kept walking. What could she possibly have to say to me? Did she want to rub it in my face?

"Edward!" She yelled and then I felt her little hand grab onto my arm and jerk me around. "God damn-it Edward! Stop!" She yelled again. I realized then that she had run to catch up with me and the look on her face was that of pain.

Of course she was in pain. Her knee was probably killing her. Why did she even bother running after me? Oh that's right to shove it in my face…

"Why? So you can further stomp on my heart?" I asked putting as much anger as I could in it to hide my hurt.

"What?" She asked as I saw her eyes glisten over with unshed tears.

"Obviously you've been ignoring my phone calls these past months because you've been spending time with…with…with that piece of shit!" I yelled shoving a finger in Jacob's direction. He was just standing there watching our interaction intensely.

"Ugh you are so unbelievable…my God you are so stupid sometimes." She said with clear frustration.

"Well it doesn't take a genius to figure it out. I come around the corner to see you leaning against a wall, hands on his chest and with him leaning in…I know what's going on."

"You don't know anything." She growled. I have to admit, the growl was pretty sexy but I was more furious. My doubt about her motives for leaving me flared up again.

"Did you leave me for him? Did you? Tell me." I demanded.

"NO!" She yelled forcefully leaving no room for me to question that anymore. She definitely didn't leave me for him but she was with him now. That was for sure.

"Well I guess that doesn't really matter…you're free now to do whatever you want." I said as I started to turn around again.

"Edward…" She said with softness in her voice this time and took my hand in hers. The electricity that shot through me was a reminder of what we used to have. "Don't do this." She finally said when I met her eyes.

"Funny…now that I'm doing the walking away you don't want it to happen."

"Why are you here?"

Of course she would ask this question. I thought it was pretty obvious but I'm sure she wanted to here the words from my mouth. Some sort of satisfaction for her knowing that I was still hopelessly devoted to her while she was off gallivanting around with that mongrel.

"I was coming to see you. You won't answer my calls. I had to see you. I had to talk to you." I said then sighed. "I missed you…" I said shaking my head at my stupidity again. "Stupid me."

"I…I miss you too."

This caused me to laugh with any trace of actual humor. How could she lie like that?

"You don't believe me?" She questioned but it was still more like a statement. No of course I didn't believe her. How could she miss me at all?

"Good bye Isabella." I choked out then walked away without turning back around. I heard her sobs but didn't stop. I just kept walking.

When I got back to the locker room door I found myself looking at four anxious faces. Faces that fell when they took in my blood shot eyes and wet cheeks.

"What the hell happened?" They all four asked.

"Jacob Black happened." I hissed.

"What?!"

"Yeah…I come around a corner to find him leaning in towards her with her hands on his chest. I can't believe I was that stupid to believe she would actually…."

I stopped when I felt a hand slap me across the cheek.

"You are so stupid!" Rose yelled.

"Jesus Rosie…" Emmett said.

"Well he deserves it. I'd do a lot worse but I don't want to get in trouble for giving mister famous singer a black eye."

"What the hell?" I asked rubbing my cheek where she hit me. Girl's got some force behind that shit.

"You take everything at face value."

"How else was I supposed to take that!?"

"Oh gee…I don't know…maybe listened to her." Alice said. "You came here to make her see you are capable of being the man she needs you to be and then you go and so some jackass move like this."

"They were going to kiss!" I yelled.

"No they weren't!" They all yelled back.

"Do you really think we would have set this up if we thought for one second she didn't still want to be with you?" Jasper asked. I just stood there.

Well hell, I hadn't thought about that. I was too mad to think rationally…shit.

"Shit." I mumbled.

"Yeah shit." Emmett said. "Look, we weren't kidding when we told you she's been in her room the past four months. She just came out during the day two days before the championship series started. She doesn't answer her phone…for anyone except the four of us, her mom, or your mom…"

"Esme's been talking to her?" I interrupted. They all nodded then Emmett continued.

"Trust me when we tell you she has nothing going on with Jake…never will have. She wants only you. She's just too stubborn to come crawling back to you."

"Shit." I mumbled again. They all just nodded.

Well…I've fucked up yet again. My list just keeps getting longer. At this rate I'll be trying to get her to forgive me for the rest of my life.

I'm okay with that though. I'd rather spend the rest of my life trying to get her to forgive me than spending any time with any other woman.

"So what are you going to do about it Edward?" The pixie asked with her arms crossed securely over her chest. With the look in her eyes and her stance, she looked more intimidating than Emmett ever had before. I shuddered at her expression then looked over at Rose who was also in big sister protection mode.

Jasper and Emmett didn't look much kinder than that.

"Do the only thing I know to do." I said with a sigh. They all raised their eyebrows and waited. "Make her see she's the only thing in my life that matters. And of course apologize profusely, without any extravagant gifts."

"I want more details Edward." Rose said.

"I can't give those to you, but know that I will not be leaving LA for quite a long time." I said then walked away from them.


	22. The Compromise

**A/N: Here's another quick update!**

**Starting to wrap up the story…probably only a couple more chapters. This chapter is more "script like" than my other chapters but there wasn't a good way to write it unless it was in talking format. I hope you still enjoy it! It will definitely make for a quicker read.**

**Hope you enjoyed the EPOV! Back to Bella.**

**The Compromise**

* * *

I woke up feeling rather, well for the lack of a better word, worthless. As I stretched across my bed I realized first that I was completely naked. The second thing I noticed was that the other side of my bed was still warm and there was a clear indentation of where a head had been on the pillow.

_What happened last night_?

I groaned as I tried to remember what exactly _had _happened. I was drawing up a blank. I knew Alice and Rose had insisted on a girls' night but as far as I could recall we had stayed in all night.

So why am I naked in my bed which is obviously missing a previous occupant? And who was said mystery person? I rolled over again, this time on to my back and fought to open my eyes, hoping that the light from my windows would literally shed some light on my previous evening's escapades.

"What are these Bella?"

_Oh hell..._now _I remember…_

---

"Tell me again why we are having a girls' night?" I whined as I dug through the wine options.

"Because we wanted to." Alice huffed.

"And why are you not spending time with Em and Jazz?" I pestered.

"They're having a guys' night so we're having a girls' night. Deal with it." Rose said crossing her arms.

It is beyond obvious these two are not telling me something.

"Whatever, you two are so up to something but if you don't want to tell me then fine." I said shrugging as I grabbed the cheese and my bottle of wine.

"I swear you're more persuasive than me sometimes." Alice sighed as she followed me into the living room. I just smiled waiting on her to finally tell me their hidden agenda. "Okay, fine. It's just that for the past week you've been…well…"

"You've been weird." Rose finished.

"_Weird?_" I asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yeah. After I found you on the floor, you clearly had been crying and then you just stopped and acted like nothing had happened. And then this past week you've been in and out a lot with just saying you have a meeting." Alice said.

"No one has meetings right now Bella, it's the summer. We're done with softball and you're not taking any summer courses. Not to mention you've been in a surprisingly good mood." Rose said.

"So by weird you really mean better than I've been the past four months." I chuckled.

"It's just that…you aren't acting like we thought you would." Rose explained.

"Look, I get that you expected me to crawl back into my whole and ignore the world, but I want him back and I'm not going to be able to get there unless I do something about it." I said pouring out glasses of wine for us.

"What do you mean do something about it?" They both questioned.

"Compromise my dear friends. It's all about compromise."

"Is that what you've been doing this past week then? Compromising?" Alice mused.

"Yep." I said popping the 'p.'

"Care to go into details?" The both impatiently urged me on.

"Nope." I said again popping the 'p' and smiling. They both threw pillows at me and then we settled in for hot gossip.

Quite a few hours and three bottles of wine later we were all feeling pretty good. After staggering into the kitchen for another bottle of wine, which for some reason we thought was a great idea, I was having difficulty opening it and cussing up a storm.

"Honeys! I'm home!" The booming voice of Emmett scared me.

"Jesus Christ!" I yelled then heard giggling.

"Jazzy! What are you guys doing here?" Alice squealed. "Put me down!"

"No chance in hell." He said. I turned around from the kitchen counter just in time to Jasper carry Alice by the kitchen thrown over his shoulder.

"Good night Beelllaaa!" Alice sang.

"See ya tomorrow little sis." Emmett said as he and Rose walked by.

"Have a good evening! Don't drink the whole bottle there by yourself." Rose said then blew me a kiss and disappeared.

As much as I love my girls…and guys, this really just put a huge downer on my mood. Now I was going to have to listen to them all night and this was supposed to be a girls' night.

_Stupid happy couples_.

I decided to give up on the bottle of wine I was still trying to open and bent down to put it back in the wine cabinet when I heard the floor creak behind me.

"What'd ya forget?" I asked with a sigh as I turned around towards the door. Obviously I expected to see one of my four crazy drunk friends. Instead I was face to face with the one person I wanted desperately to see but wasn't sure what to do.

"Edward?" I whispered. It was the only thing that came out of my mouth and it came out as a question when clearly it was Edward standing in front of me. He was leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed staring intently at me and I was instantly very aware that I was only wearing black boy shorts and a tight pink camisole.

Seeing as he was blatantly staring at my barely covered body I took the opportunity to do the same. He was wearing tight low slung jeans which he paired with a dark green button up shirt his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. He was beyond sexy. I let my gaze travel up his body until meeting his eyes.

He had stopped staring at my body and had caught me ogling him but I couldn't feel ashamed for it. I was happy he caught me. I licked my lips then took my bottom one in between my teeth. His eyes noticeably got darker and the sight of it made me unintentionally moan.

Before I knew it he was off the door frame and across the kitchen standing in front of me with his hands on my waist.

"Bella…" His voice was deep and throaty. I didn't let him say anymore, I just kissed him. He responded instantaneously by picking me up and setting me on the counter. His hands ran up my sides, barely grazing my breasts before he placed them on either side of my face.

I tried to deepen the kiss but he pulled away from me.

"Bella we need talk." He said breathlessly.

"Tomorrow Edward. We'll talk tomorrow." I said just as winded.

"But I want to…"

"I need you Edward." I said as I went in to kiss him again, except I didn't just kiss him. I grabbed onto his hair and sucked his lower lip into my mouth before gently biting him. "Now Edward."

That's all it took. He moaned into me as he forcefully melded our lips together and in the same second picked me up off the counter. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me into my bedroom.

"Lock the door." I said as I kicked the door closed with my feet. He did and then moved quickly over to my bed where he gently laid me down.

"Bella, love…"

I really wish he would just shut up and go with this.

"Yes Edward?"

"Will you regret this…"

"Will you?" I countered.

"Not even a little bit. But will you? I mean I will understand if you tell me to…"

"Edward." I interrupted him. "First of all…I believe I'm the reason we're in my bedroom right now. Secondly, I could never ever regret anything I do with you. I only have one regret when it comes to you…" I said and saw the panic blaze in his eyes. I silently laughed at his insecurity. "I only regret ever letting you go in the first place."

"Bella please can we just talk about…"

"In the morning Edward." I said and kissed him.

---

Yes, talk in the morning. It is now morning and of course he's awake and wants to talk. And I have a wine hangover.

And what did he ask me?

"Bella? What are these?" He asked again.

_Ah that's what he asked me. Wait what?_

I sat up in my bed gripping the sheet close to my body. He was sitting, clad only in his boxers, at my desk holding a stack of papers.

He found my compromise.

"Bella…"

"Give me a minute to focus my thoughts. I'm a little…" I said as I waved my hand around to stress I was out of it. He huffed but didn't say anything he just sat there still holding the papers detailing what my plan was.

"Okay…" I started but hesitated with how quick his head jerked up and his still sad sleepy eyes focused on me. "First I need to apologize…"

"What in the hell do you have to apologize for? I'm the only person sitting in this room that has anything to feel sorry for. I'm the idiot who…who caused this situation. If I had listened and made more of an effort you wouldn't have had to make the decision you made…"

"That's just it. I'm sorry for making that decision…"

"You did what you needed to do…for both of us."

"I don't think I did. We were both so miserable."

"True but it wasn't until you left me that I realized…no that's not right…I knew how much I loved you before we were apart, but I didn't realize that you are my life. You are the only thing in my life I care about. The only thing I need is you." He said as he stood up and walked over to my bed sitting down beside me. "But please tell me what all of this means?" He asked putting the papers on my lap.

"It's my compromise."

"I'm not following, love?"

"I need us to be together and that's my end of it. We have to find a way to work this out. I've talked to my academic advisor, the college dean, and my coach. It got a little tricky since I'm here on a scholarship, but I'm going to take on a full summer session…which begins in a week. Then I'll be packing my fall and spring semesters full. I should have summer course again next summer and then another load of classes…I'll graduate in a year and a half."

"That won't leave any room for life or softball. How does that help with us? You'll be just as busy as I was."

"Well…to answer your question about us – yeah we'll both be busy for the next year but then I'll be able to travel with you or at least the option is there for it. And of course your part of the compromise is to promise to treat me like your girlfriend and not just some on-call trophy girl." He flinched at words but ultimately ignored them.

"You didn't answer my first question."

"Yeah about that…I won't be playing softball anymore…"

"No. I'm not letting you give up softball. It's your life…" He said clenching his jaw.

"No it's not. You're my life. I couldn't give a rats ass about softball…I'd rather have you than a stupid game. Plus my knee isn't up to par to play. I'm going to help coach and what not to keep my scholarship valid."

"I can't let you do that."

"It's not your choice." I gritted out.

"Why are you so stubborn?" He sighed knowing he would not win the battle. I was already set into this deal with the college. I knew I would be met with opposition when I announced it. Lord knows the coach wasn't happy.

"What are you doing in LA and out with the boys?" I suddenly remembered to ask. He took a deep breath then gently took my free hand into his.

"I'm here for you…and they insisted we go out for my twenty-first." He said sheepishly. "I never left LA after the game. I've been working out some things of my own…which is why I'm not thrilled on your decision about school and softball."

"What have you done?" I growled. With his facial expression and the way he was hesitating I was afraid he had done something entirely crazy, like get himself released from his contract.

"Well…first things first, I should have told you this months ago but I have a condo here in the city. I've stayed in it more these past four months than any other time I've owned it. I just couldn't bear to leave the city unless it was absolutely necessary."

"Wait…what?!" I exclaimed as I threw my arms in the air, clearly dropping the sheet was hiding me. He had been in the same city as me while I wallowed in my room? My cure had been minutes away. Of course I wasn't answering his phone calls, but surly my friends knew he was in town. Not that I would have listened to them. I really have been stupid.

I then caught Edward's eyes glance down at my exposed skin and he moaned. It was by far the sexiest sound I had heard in months. I laughed to try and hide my arousal but in no way made a move to cover myself up.

"Love, please cover up or we'll never get this conversation completed." He said through his teeth. I complied simply because I truly did want to finish the conversation.

"So what of this condo?"

"Ah, well I bought it about six months ago or so to be closer to you, but my career wouldn't let me stay in LA long enough for it to really matter and so I never even told you about it."

"Hmm…okay. I wish you would have told me that you have a house but…what else?"

"I put my foot down to Aro and the record company."

"What do you mean you put your foot down?"

"There is no reason why I can't record here in LA. There is no reason why I can't do photo shoots here in LA. There is no reason I can't do interviews in LA. People can come to me. I'm not leaving this city unless there is no other way around it. I'm not leaving you."

"Really?" I asked. I couldn't hide the smile even though I did feel guilty.

"Yes really but what's bothering you?"

"How mad are the executives about this?"

"Oh pretty pissed but I couldn't care less." He shrugged.

"But what if you doing this causes you to be let go of your contract? I'd feel at fault and…"

"And it doesn't matter. Just like what you told me…I've decided nothing in life has any meaning unless you're there to share it with."

"I don't know…"

"Now listen here, if you get on me about my decision then it gives me every right to get on you about you giving up softball. I'm not giving up anything, I'm just moving it. You're literally giving up softball for me…and you don't even have to! That's the kicker. With me staying here in LA you could keep your schedule just the way it is. I hate that you feel that's what you have to do to make this work." He said taking a deep breath. "_You_ don't need to do anything. I'm the only one that needs to change something to make us work."

"But that's not how relationships work Edward. We both need to sacrifice…"

"Sacrifice? But I'm not really sacrificing anything. I want to be here in LA and not all over the country doing stupid shit."

"Okay well then I _want_ to give up softball and graduate early." I said crossing my arms stubbornly.

"Impasse."

"It would seem that way. And so what does this mean for us?" I asked nervously playing with my hands. I'm not sure why I was still nervous about what the next step was with us. We both had made huge compromises – I refuse to call them sacrifices – to be together. Not to mention our previous night was amazing. Yet here I was more nervous than when we first shared our feelings with each other. I was honestly afraid of being rejected.

I've hurt his feelings. Wouldn't it make sense for him to be standoffish? But he did risk a lot with his recording career to make me happy. That's where my hope is coming from. I took a shaky breath and looked towards Edward. It was then I realized he looked just as nervous as me.

"I'm going to let you make the decision on our future. You know how I feel…or at least I think you know how I feel." I said..

"Bella…if I thought you'd say yes, I'd ask you to move in with me." He said barely above a whisper.

My brain processed that sentence slower than I would have thought but when I finally realized what he had just said, I lunged at him. I was so happy, not because he wanted me to move in with him but because he really truly did want to try us again. Even after all the shit and drama, he still wanted me.

"Love…" he all but hissed as his arms snaked around my still nude form. I ran my fingers through his hair before placing a sweet kiss on his lips.

"I'll put some clothes on." I whispered as I pulled away from him.

"Wait." He said as he clasped my hand. I turned and gave him a puzzled look. "Would you say yes? I mean if I asked you?"

Would I say yes? Was it the right time to do that? We were just getting back into our relationship. Would moving in together put too much stress onto what will basically be a new relationship?

Do I even actually _want_ to move in with him?

"Edward…no. I can't say yes. But it's because it's too early and I really should stay here with the girls till college is over. It will help me focus and I have a feeling if I'm living with you then I just won't be able to strap myself tight enough to do the studying I need to do. Trust me when I tell you that I do want to – eventually. Now is just not the right time."

"I understand. But you do understand that I'll be here with you whenever possible, right?" He said kissing my nose.

"I'm counting on that." I said kissing him back, but as I kissed him I forced him onto his back. He raised an eyebrow questioningly. "What? I want to celebrate compromises."

He grinned – an honest to god grin that reached his eyes before pulling my head down to meet my lips with his.


	23. Together

**A/N: Alright folks…this story is coming to a close rapidly. It's this chapter and then one more. I might do an epilogue but as of right now I will not be doing that.**

**But…there's a new one in the works already! Yay!!!! (I seriously think I have an overactive imagination – maybe that's why I can't sleep at night….lol). Any who….**

**Um….oh yeah. LOVE YOU GUYS!!!! You're the jelly to my peanut butter**

**Together**

* * *

Edward and I finally emerged from my room mid-afternoon. We no sooner got down the hall when we were bombarded with questions. It was such a rush of words that I couldn't have made out anything if my life depended on it.

"Would you all shut it!" Edward yelled.

"Hell you'd think he'd be in a better mood getting laid last night." Emmett grumbled earning himself a smack on the back of the head from Rose.

"What the Neanderthal means is, do you two have something you'd like to share with the group?" Alice asked skipping up to stand in front of me. She was smiling as wide as I'd ever seen her. I couldn't help but smile back and laugh.

"We're back together." I said as Edward took my hand in his. This only widen my smile.

"So he told you what he did then right?"

"You knew?"

"Well not until Friday night…this is when we planned the whole girls' night thing. We really didn't expect him to show up last night…" Rose said glaring at Emmett and Jasper. Both boys just shrugged. "Anyways we just wanted to talk to you and feel you out and figure out if his plan would work."

I just shrugged. "I'm pretty sure I would have gone along with anything as long as he promised to try harder."

"Which I did…" He said then side glanced at me. "Of course it was just part of her compromise."

"Oh that's right! Can we know what that is now?"

"Umm…" I hesitated before rattling off, "I'm not going tobeplayingsoftball."

The four of them just stood staring at me. I was beginning to think they hadn't understood me.

"YOU'RE WHAT?!" They all yelled finally.

"No. No way in hell you're quitting softball." Rose said.

"What the hell?! Why?" Jasper roared. I flinched at his tone. Jasper never raised his voice. "What I mean is, why would you do that? You love softball…and what about your scholarships?"

"Yeah what about school? Are you quitting that too? What the hell kind of compromise is that?" Alice asked.

"A shitty one." Emmett chimed in.

"Guys…let me explain please. I wasn't aware Edward was planning something like moving to LA so I made my own changes to be with him…sooner. I will be loading up heavy on classes from now until next fall semester, when I'll graduate – a year early allowing me to join Edward wherever he is."

"Softball?" Everyone asked.

"I will be forfeiting my starting position on the team, but will stay on the roster. My main goal will be coaching and mentoring. This will allow me to keep my scholarships."

"I don't like it." Alice huffed crossing her arms.

"You don't have to." I countered.

"You've been awfully quiet this whole time Edward. What do you think about this?" Emmett asked.

"I don't like it but it's her choice and it's what she wants to do. She knows I'll be behind her no matter what."

"Ditto." I said then got up on my toes to place a quick kiss on his cheek. In this moment I realized how long it had been since I was truly, honest to God, happy. It has been about a year. Part of my brain was telling me that I shouldn't be this happy because as much as I wanted to say I wouldn't miss it, I would miss playing softball. The plan was simply to get through school faster. Yes, my schedule would be grueling for the next sixteen or so months and I had resigned myself to that fact. I felt a little more at ease about my decision knowing Edward would be around.

Before I knew he was planning on staying in LA I had come to the conclusion and prepared myself for the fact that the upcoming months would be hard…very hard. Being a busy as we both would have been would have made communication almost impossible. I was willing to make it work.

Everything got so much simpler when he told me he was moving – well staying – in Los Angeles.

I almost changed my mind about my decision. _Almost_. The idea of getting out of school and being able to travel with Edward though was too strong.

---

Much to my displeasure, we ended up going to dinner and then to a club to celebrate. It was about an hour long argument between me and the girls before Rose all but tied me to the chair while Alice fixed my hair and makeup. By the time they had finished that I realized I was in no way of getting out of this evening.

Edward knew I wasn't all that thrilled about it. He knew I just wanted to stay at home and spend time with him – catching up on our missed time. Although when I really think about it, we probably didn't miss much more than we would have if we stayed together. That was just the truth of the situation.

That would all be changing – assuming he held up his end of the bargain. As much I want to believe him, I just can't see how it's really going to work for him. It might be good for the first month but eventually his manager is going to want him somewhere for an extended period of time and then what will happen? Will he go back to not finding the time to acknowledge my existence?

Then of course there's the issue of the tour he's going to _have_ to do for the album. There is definitely no getting out of that and I won't be done with school…it's scheduled to start sometime this fall. That's going to be interesting. I bet he hasn't even thought that far in advance.

No he definitely hasn't considered what's going to happen when he leaves for three months for a tour.

"So not to bring up a possibly sore subject but…" Emmett asked as we made our way up to the VIP section Edward secured for us.

"But what?" I asked honestly curious. Surely of everyone in the whole group, Em wasn't the one to think of the tour thing, and right as I did too? That would be creepy.

"Did you two happen to discuss what happened after the game?"

No we had not discussed that and I was well aware of our need to do so. I had to know what in the hell he was thinking. Okay, I pretty much know what he was thinking he saw, but I want to know what went through his mind to think that I would actually move-on from him and to _Jacob_ of all people. And then he had the nerve to ask me if I left him for Jacob.

Definitely need to discuss that with Edward, but later.

"No we didn't, but we need to." I said looking at Edward. He ducked his head like a scolded child and slightly nodded his head in agreement. It was one of the cutest things I had ever seen him do.

"Hi!" Our waitress bubbled. "Welcome to Club 740. My name's Aurora. What can I start you out with tonight? We have bottles of Patron on special if you're interested Mr. Cullen."

"Well we've got two not of age here so we'll skip the bottles. Thank you though." Edward said taking my hand and laughing.

"Prick." I laughed as Alice narrowed her eyes towards him. "I'll have just a coke, thank you."

"Wow…that must suck to not be able to drink." Aurora laughed still not really paying to much attention to me.

"Eh I'm too blissed out right now to care." I said smiling towards Edward.

"OMG!" The she screamed when she finally looked closer at me. I had liked her until the moment. "You're Bella Swan, right?"

"Um yes…"

"So does that mean you two are back together?" She asked and we both nodded. I hadn't thought of the media implications of stepping out on the town tonight. Aurora smiled then turned to Edward. "I'm a huge fan and it's just that when you two weren't together you weren't the same and I felt so bad for you. But I see tonight that you're back! Oh and I can't wait for the tour to start in a couple of months." She said. I felt Edward tense beside me.

Yes I was right, he definitely hadn't thought of that.

"Can we get our drinks sometime tonight?" Rose asked sending the girl on her way. "I figured you wanted her to leave."

"Thank you." I murmured. "Edward? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine…I just didn't think…"

"I know. We'll talk later about it and about…" I said then stopped when he appeared in front on me in our VIP section. This seems to be happening a lot to me lately…I'm not really enjoying it at all.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Jasper asked standing up.

"Chill man, I just wanted to come talk to Bells but I see she's reconciled her differences with the jackass so I'll be going." Jacob said.

"Watch your mouth asshole." Rose said.

"How am I supposed to do that, bitch? Take my eyes out of my head."

"Why I ought to…" Rose said standing up but tiny Alice shoved her back down before standing up on the couch to face Jacob straight in the eyes.

For a tiny thing she sure was intimidating.

"Listen here Jacob Black. I don't know how you got into our private VIP room but you will now be seeing your way back out of it." She said poking him in the chest with her finger. "If I even so much as see the back of your head the rest of this evening I will shove my five inch stiletto heal up your ass and then kick you in the balls for ruining my favorite pair of Pradas."

"Whatever." He said then walked away.

"I think we should talk about him now if he's going to be randomly showing up at places we are." Edward said. He no longer looked relaxed and happy, he looked furious and tense. I just nodded my head slowly, not really sure if I should speak yet.

"Valentine's Day…" Edward began then stopped to take in the expressions on all of our faces. Expressions that ranged from 'I can't believe he's really going to ask this dumbass question' to 'don't even think that question.' And mine – I was furious because I knew what he was going to ask even though he damn well knows I would never do that to him.

"We were still together when I went to that dinner!" I shouted.

"But only for another twenty four hours. You _had_ to know you were going to break-up with me before you went to that stupid dinner and _back to his house_." He said grinding his teeth together.

The idiot really was questioning my faithfulness to him, even after I told him I didn't leave him for Jacob.

"Are you dense?" I asked getting a chuckle from our friends. "Honestly Edward you have got to be the stupidest male on the face of this planet if you think for one second I would ever…ugh…I can't even finish that. You're sad."

"But you stayed at his house and you were pretty drunk…"

"Don't finish that sentence." Emmett warned.

"Yes I stayed. Yes I was drunk. I slept in the guest room, with the door locked and my phone by my head. _I'm_ not stupid Edward. Oh and to further expound on something you said – I didn't know I was breaking up with you until the next day while I tried to write a report for a class. I couldn't think of anything but you and the situation we were in. I was pushed to the decision by you when I got home and realized you had shown up with Valentine's shit…only after I yelled at you. _That_ sealed the deal. Your head – screw that – your heart wasn't in our relationship anymore. And knowing that was the most painful thing I had ever experienced. It felt like you didn't really want me anymore so I made the break for us both." I spouted off before succumbing to the tears that had be threatening me.

"Bella…"

"I'm not done." I said sternly. "I spent four months crying. Crying for you. Crying for us. Yes I ignored your phone calls because I knew hearing your voice would be too much for me. When we played that championship game, I played like I had nothing left in life, because as far as I was concerned, I didn't. I had given up. But then Jacob cornered me…" I said and heard a chorus of growls from the boys at the mention of him cornering me. "Anyways…he cornered me in the hallway and attempted to make a move on me. But as he was talking and moving closer all I could think about was you and how obvious it was that no matter what I did in life it would always be only you. I made a deal to figure out a way for us to work something out."

"You don't…"

"So I started pushing Jacob away. I told him that I didn't want to be with him because I was still in love with you. That's when you came around the corner. Overreacting like always and wouldn't listen to me like the stubborn ass you are. That's all there is to know about Jacob and I." I said then sat there waiting for someone to say something.

"Told you so." Jasper said like a kid on the playground. That seemed to ease everyone up and we all slightly laughed.

"Can I say something?" Edward asked. I nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't let you explain and I know now that I should have gone back to you when Rose smacked some sense into me…"

"Literally." Alice chirped.

"Yeah…it's just when I saw that and what it appeared to be, I freaked out. My mind quit all rational thinking and I just saw red. I got mad at you when really I was mad at myself. You were in his arms because of me. I knew I had to make things right and I knew I had to go back to you with some huge gesture and not materialized. It was an easy decision on what to do. It was so obvious. All you've ever wanted was me to treat you like I used to. I'm sorry I let you down there for a while, but I'm going to make it better now. I promise. And we'll figure out the tour. I'm not letting you give up on us ever again. I can't go through that again. It will be the death of me. I need you to breathe." He said taking a deep breath to calm himself then leaned in to kiss me. "I'm sorry for so much more than I will ever be able to put into words. I hope you know that."

"I do." I whispered barely audible over the music from the downstairs dance floors.

"I love you Bella." He said and I just nodded because even though I wanted to say it back, I couldn't form words. The group was quiet for about ten minutes while Edward and I just sat there holding each other. When we finally broke apart, Alice gasped.

"What's wrong?" I asked worriedly.

"No no no, we can't have this. You're makeup is unsightly. Bathroom now. Rose, bring your purse." She said grabbing my hands and pulling me off the couch I was sitting on.

As they whipped and dabbed and blended, they talked

"I hope he still realizes he's got a huge ass hole to dig himself out of. He can't just go spout off words and think that makes everything all better." Rose said.

"Not to mention he has to prove what he says he's going to do." Alice said echoing my earlier worries. Apparently it showed in my face. "You've already thought of that though, haven't you?"

"I have. I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't though. I can't…I can't not have in my life. That's been proven beyond a reasonable doubt."

"Let's try to give him the benefit of the doubt. The man is beyond crazy for you, he's just…he doesn't always think. He gets caught up in one thing and can't see past it. His whole attitude there for a while hurt us all. Not just you. We've all had to talk to him about it. He left his friends behind and while we all know he was busy…"

"We all would have made the time." Alice finished Rose's sentence.

"Yes I know." I said sighing. "Thanks for the touch up."

"No problem. Now let's go back to the boys."

We were walking down the hallway working our way through the crowd and back towards the VIP when I was I grabbed from behind and into an unlit corner. I couldn't see who it was but I didn't need to see him to know.

I could smell him. His normal smell was mixed with the smell of whiskey. His hands wrapped around my wrists and held them against the wall while he leaned into my body, effectively pinning my legs as well.

I was powerless. For the first time I couldn't defend myself. I had no way to hit him or kick him. Screaming wouldn't help because no one would hear me over the music.

Surely Rose and Alice realized I was gone though. I mean I was right behind them. I should have been in front of them. I knew Jacob was pissed and would do just about anything to get me alone. I was hoping it would be just to talk, but judging by the situation I was in now…

"I just want to talk to you." He said in my ear. His breath reeked of alcohol and he slurred his words.

"Doubtful." I huffed. "If you just want to talk, let go of my wrists and get off of me."

"No because then you'll hit me."

"If you only plan on talking, I won't have the need to hit you."

"True, but I'm still not releasing you."

"Don't do this here."

"Would you prefer we get a private room? I thought you loved him?"

I growled.

"That was really kind of sexy there Bells." He laughed.

"Let go of me. You're drunk and don't know what you're doing."

"Not until we have our little chat." He said running his nose down my jaw. I tried to work my way free but it was completely useless.

"Fine." I said giving up. He didn't say anything he just got a shit-eating grin on his face and then he kissed me. As soon as his lips touched mine I frantically start jerking my head around but I couldn't break away from him.

If for some reason Edward comes looking for me and he sees this, he'll kill him. I can't let that happen. His career…his life…

But what could I do? My hands and my legs were both useless. I could head-butt him.

_Ha! Yeah and knock yourself out in the progress_.

Okay so I couldn't do that either.

_I'm trapped. I'm utterly trapped here_.

Just when the thought crossed my mind the pressure from his mouth was gone. My arms dropped to my sides and my legs gave out causing me sink to the floor. Jacob was on the floor next to me, but no one was around us. I kicked his body but he didn't budge. I bent closer to him and realized that he was in fact breathing.

_He passed out._

He was so drunk the imbecile passed out while kissing me. The situation was so beyond ridiculous I did the only thing I could do. I laughed. I laughed so loud and long that my sides started hurting.

It really wasn't funny but I was so relieved about everything, all I could do was laugh.

I eventually got to my feet and walked out of the secluded section of the club. As I continued my journey towards VIP I noticed Sam Uley. He looked like he was franticly searching for someone. I had a hunch I knew who that was.

"Hey Sam." I said.

"Oh thank God you're okay Bella!" He exclaimed then hugged me.

"Uh…"

"Well…see Edward came looking for Jacob when you didn't come back with the girls and then I couldn't find Jacob and he's so drunk and he had talked about some things and…he didn't find you did he?"

I couldn't lie to the man. He was worried about me and not his friend.

"He did but he's now passed out in the hallway. He just dropped like rock, no warning or anything. I left him there. You'll want to go get him before security does."

"Thanks. You'll want to track down Edward before he sends out the Calvary."

He laughed then headed off in the direction I pointed him whilst I headed towards where I assumed everyone would be.

As I approached the VIP area I could see them all before they could see me. Edward was pacing nearly pulling his hair out. Rose and Alice were sitting down talking quietly to each other while Emmett and Jasper were clearly in conversation about how to rip about someone.

It was nice to see them worrying over me but I really should say something. Not that I want to deal with the scene the boys are guaranteed to cause, but I had to and I knew they would let it wait until we got home.

"Hey guys." I said as I walked up.

"Oh hell." Edward said as he all but ran to me. "Are you okay? Did you hurt you?"

"I'm fine and no he didn't hurt me." It was the truth. He didn't hurt me. Edward didn't ask if he touched me.

"Did he touch you?" Rose asked glaring at me. Of course she had picked up on the subtle difference. I glared right back at her.

"Did he?" The boys growled.

"It doesn't matter. He didn't hurt me. Let's just go home."

"Is he still here somewhere?" Emmett asked.

"Doubtful. I'm pretty sure Sam got him out of here seeing as he passed out in the hallway."

"Wait, he actually passed out in the club?" Jasper asked.

"Yep. Fell right at my feet. Funniest thing ever."

"What exactly…" Edward started.

"Can we please just go home? Nothing happened so there's no need to stress over anything." I said pulling on his hand. I shot a pleading look to Alice and Jasper who were about the only two people who could read my face perfectly.

"She's right. Let's go home. No need in causing problems here." Alice said smiling.

"I'm ready any ways." Jasper added.

"Sure." Rose and Emmett both shrugged.

Yeah like I would really be able to dodge the whole situation that easily.

"You realize you will be telling me details later, right?" Edward whispered as he led me out of the club with his hand on my lower back.

I would have to tell him eventually that Jacob kissed me and then proceeded to pass out on me and then he would kill him. That's how it would go. I also knew that Alice would want to know why I pleaded with her to agree to leave. I was almost more afraid of the pixie's reaction.

Things were going so well for the first time in a long time and then stupid Jacob had to go and start more drama - again. I have never given him reason to think that he and I would ever be more than friends – and now I highly doubted that we'd ever be that again. Why do people have to ruin perfectly good things?

---

It's been two weeks since my summer session started and it's been tough, but only scholastic wise. I've seen Edward every day. If he's not at our house, I'm at his. I finally told everyone about the club and as predicted the boys wanted to rip him to pieces but calmed down eventually. I still haven't heard from Jacob. I thought I'd at least get a phone call apologizing for his antics, but nothing.

The media had latched onto the story about Edward and I reconciling our differences and the fact that we ran into Jacob at the club that night, but no details were available for them. It was the only time I thanked Jacob for pulling me into a secluded corner where no one could see. I don't even want to imagine the repercussions if _that_ story broke.

But they hadn't so we were cruising right along like nothing had ever gotten between us. Really we spent so much time together we might has well have been living together and in all honesty even though it had only been two weeks, I think if he asked me again I would tell him yes. I wasn't going to tell him that though.

While I was in classes during the day, Edward was preparing for the tour. Even though Aro had made a big deal out of Edward insisting he do as many things out of Los Angeles as possible, it turned out to work out quite nicely. Things were running smoother than when he was flying all over the place.

He didn't expect that he would have to fly out for the first city a week before my 21st birthday. He felt so bad about missing the big birthday that I couldn't be upset about it. I tried to make him feel better by reminding him that my fall semester would be in session by then and I wouldn't even have time to celebrate it so he wasn't missing anything.

This didn't make him feel any better. He now felt guilty that I wasn't going to be able to celebrate my birthday because of my class load, which he faulted himself for because if hadn't been so stupid I wouldn't have felt the need to do it.

I called him a dork.

So a week before my birthday I said good bye at the airport to a wallowing Edward and then my girls gave me a spa day to help me feel better. It would be three months before I see him again, but he had insisted on being home before Christmas.

He refused to miss it this year.


	24. The Final Chapter

**A/N: It's a sad sad sad day….final chapter. :-( **

**The Final Chapter**

* * *

Time seemed to fly by much to my appreciation. My birthday passed without a big production, but only because I threatened bodily harm to the pixie. Towards the end of October we started "training camp" for softball. Basically we felt out the freshman who wanted to try out.

I participated and it was obvious that I had not kept up my workout routine over the summer break. Even as it was I was better than the majority of the freshmen who showed up.

"Swan! I gotta talk to you." Coach Gina yelled as we ran our cool down laps.

"What's up?" I asked only breathing slightly heavy.

"Look…I know your class load is ridiculous but if this talent doesn't improve, I'm going to need you to start as shortstop when the season starts."

"I don't know if I'll be able to keep my grades up and practice."

"Just wanted to give you a heads up. We'll have this conversation closer to February."

"Okay." I said then took off towards the showers.

"So what'd Gina what?" Rose asked as we dressed.

"Um she thinks she's going to need me to start shortstop…if the talent doesn't improve."

"Can you do that?" They both asked. I just shrugged my shoulders. Part of me really wanted to start; to get that one more championship under my belt. But I knew I would be so stressed trying to keep up with my studies and with the practices. And Edward…oh who the hell was I kidding, Edward would love for me to play one more season, especially if he would be around to see the games.

Speaking of Edward, it was about that time of day. He always called right before he headed out on stage for a performance. He was holding up his side. The tour was half over and he was exhausted but he always seemed happy. On the days he didn't have a show scheduled, I usually heard from him more than once or twice.

It was glorious.

All of our parents, including Carlisle and Esme, flew out to Los Angeles for Thanksgiving. Us girls hosted the dinner for everyone but it was odd not having Edward with us. He did call us though. He was in Nashville, Tennessee for a show the next night. His tour was planned to wrap in less than two weeks. His last show being in Los Angeles.

He had gotten the five of us VIP backstage passes to watch the show. It will be the first time any of us had seen him perform live since the TV show. So not only was I elated to see him after three months, I wanted to see the show. But just because he was in the same city as me didn't mean I'd get to see him. It would be two hours before he went on stage that I'd get to see him.

"Let's go Bella!" Alice yelled from the living room. I was in my room trying to decide what to wear for the show and trying to not freak out about the fact that I had no idea what to wear. If the girls caught wind that I was worried about my outfit I'd never hear the end of it. They'd want to go shopping and that's never a good thing.

_In fact why is Alice yelling at me? It's only 10:00…_

"Isabella Marie Swan! We know you're standing in front of your closet and you never do that…especially not seven hours before you need to be where you're going." Rose yelled.

"Damn." I mumbled as I shoved my feet into my trusty running shoes, grabbed my purse and headed out to where they were waiting on me. "How'd ya know?"

"We just did. Now let's go find you a special outfit…or two." Alice said linking her arm with mine. "Oh and we're taking your car."

"Why?"

"Because as much attention as my Porsche or the BMW attracts, nothing compares to the attention we get when we pull up in your car and we want attention today."

"Um sure." I said as I grabbed my car keys out. That was something I hadn't even thought of giving back to Edward when we broke up. I mean, hell, it was a gift. That car is mine. Plus I absolutely love it. It's my baby.

"Let's hit Robertson and Melrose." Rose said as we climbed into the car.

So off to Robertson and then to Melrose so I could buy an outfit to impress Edward, using Edward's money. I no longer had reservations about using the credit card he gave me; which he loved.

After too many hours on my feet being pulled into a hundred different stores, I walked away with five new pairs of jeans, a plethora of new tops, shoes to compliment them all, and new lacy underwear to match.

More than I really needed and nothing that made my decision on what to wear tonight any easier. Now I had too many possibilities!

We showed up at the stadium at the exact time Edward told us to be there. The roadies and security team were the only people around the back entrance. The looks and whispers we were getting were enough to make Emmett and Jasper go into bodyguard mode.

"I wish you three would have worn more clothes." Jasper grumbled.

"What we're wearing is fine. It's no different than what we wear when we go out other times." Alice said linking her arm with his. And really she wasn't kidding. Alice was wearing a black leather mini-skirt with a yellow one-shoulder shirt with matching yellow stilettos. Rose was wearing a turquoise sweater dress that stopped mid-thigh with a _plunging _v-neck . She had black belt at her waist to accent it and show off her curves a little more. Her black leather boots where…well they scream dominatrix. They went up over her knees and looked like they were painted onto her legs. The heel looked deadly and how she managed to walk on things that looked more like toothpicks than heels, I'll never know.

I refused to let go of my jeans, but I compromised. I wore a pair of white ripped skinny jeans, that were so tight I had to jump up and down to get into them. But they were smoking hot. Since Rose traded in her signature color for turquoise, I stole her red. I was in a red corset top that wasn't as revealing as most corsets but was just as tight. I finished the outfit off with a pair of red suede open-toed sling back stilettos – which I was having a slight problem walking in. I had gotten better with heels but still didn't really like them. It was part of my deal with Alice and Rose. I'd wear the shoes if they'd let keep the jeans.

We really did look damn good walking up to the doors and I'm pretty sure even if we didn't have our backstage passes we'd had gotten in.

Once in it didn't take long for Aro to see me. He obviously didn't like me by the glare and then snub I got as we walked closer to him.

"What's wrong with wrinkly ass?" Rose asked.

"Oh that's Aro, Edward's producer or manager or something like that. I'm assuming he hates me because I'm the reason his star is insisted on basing everything out of LA…" I said right as Edward came running around a corner and grabbed me up into a hug as he spun around. He started peppering my face with kisses while I laughed.

"I miss you too sweetie." I finally got out.

"Oh you have no idea…I'm so glad…I love you." He said breathless.

"I love you too." I said as he put me down.

"What the hell are you wearing?" He asked scanning my body from head to toe. I saw his eyes darken and knew what was going through his mind.

"You don't like it?" I asked coyly.

"Oh no that's not…I like it, a lot…but…" He said then jerked his head up to where our four friends were standing. "Can you guys give us about twenty minutes? We'll be right back." He said smiling as he took me by the hand and started pulling me away.

"No way buddy. You are not dragging my best friend off to some dressing room to have your way with her while I stand here in the hallway and wait." Alice said tapping her little foot.

Edward huffed in disappointment but stopped walking.

"Don't worry babe…I'm going home with you tonight." I whispered in his ear then lightly bit his earlobe earning me a moan.

"Damn you." He whispered back. "Now I'm gonna have to go on stage with images of what we're going to do tonight playing in my mind. I'll have a raging hard-on all fucking night."

"Good…then you'll be more than ready to make up for the three months we've missed out on."

We spent the next two hours relaxing in Edward's dressing room talking and then he headed out for the show. We followed and four spots to watch the show from backstage.

It was an excellent show and it was just so surreal to me hear the reaction of the crowd to him. He looked so alive on the stage and it was clear that being on stage was what he wanted to do. Where he needed to be.

After the show I said good bye to everyone and went back to Edward's condo with him. We sat in silence on the drive and I wasn't sure if it was because he had something on his mind or it was because I had something on mine. I wanted to tell him how proud I was of him and how wonderful he was and I wanted tot ell him about the softball opportunity.

We were in his house and sitting on the couch winding down from our evening when he finally spoke.

"Bella? Is there something wrong?" He asked looking over at me with nervousness in his eyes.

"Oh! No nothing's wrong. I've just been thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"You." I smiled. "Those people love you…they almost worship you. It's insane but really great all at the same time."

"Tell me about it." He laughed. "But that's not all you were thinking about."

"Damn you're good." I chuckled. "I had an interesting discussion with Gina back in October at the beginning of camp."

"And you're just now telling me about it? Why?"

"Well I didn't think it was vital at that point and really it still isn't but I want to see what you think." I said. He sat there waiting for me to continue so I did. "It looks like Gina's going to need me to start shortstop this season but we won't know for sure until February."

"That's great! You'll be able to get a championship again before you can't play anymore. Wait…can your knee…"

"It's felt good so far in camp and what not, but I won't know until I go all out on it. I need to know what you think about me doing this if she needs it."

"You know I never wanted you to quit softball. We'll make it work. I'll be here because since I've just ended the tour I'm taking a few months off so that'll be nice. I'll get to see you play." He said with a cheshire cat grin.

"Okay."

"Okay." He said then kissed me.

---

Two days before Christmas we all hoped on a plane that Edward's record company gave him to use. It sure made the six hour flight more bearable. Unlike last time when we landed in Jacksonville, no one was there waiting for us. We landed at two in the morning and told the families to stay home to avoid a media issue. I was surprised to find out it actually worked.

I decided to stay with Edward with his parents' even though my mother wanted me to stay with them. I just couldn't spend time away from Edward and he needed to spend time with his parents.

I really didn't care where I stayed. I was spending Christmas with Edward...exactly what I should have been doing a year ago.

Considering the previous year's events I just wanted to be together so I made him promise no gifts. He wasn't happy about it but he agreed.

We spent most of the day Christmas Even catching up on the sleep we missed by flying in at an early morning hour but then that evening Esme hosted dinner for all of the families again. After hours of family fun and togetherness everyone finally left and we headed to bed.

"I'm so glad you're with us this year." I said as Edward and I laid down in bed.

"I'm glad I'm here with you." He said placing a kiss on my forehead. "Bella?"

"Hmmm?"

"I know you made me promise not to buy you anything but…" He said as he placed a small wrapped box on my chest. A ring sized box. I inhale deep as I looked up at his eyes. "Don't freak out. I swear I didn't spend more than $10."

"You shouldn't have done anything." I said as I sat up with the box in my hand. I opened the box slowly afraid of what I would find but as soon as I say it, I just smiled. "It's a key."

"It's your key to the house I just bought…our house. I want us to live together."

I couldn't say anything so I just nodded. I had been thinking about brining up the subject again. He hadn't mentioned it since the day we got back together but I was very happy he had.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes that's a yes." I said with tears in my eyes. He smiled then kissed me earnestly.

We shared our good news with everyone the next day and everyone was very excited, even Rose and Alice who were upset that they would be losing their roommate.

The only down side with sharing the information with everyone was that Esme and Renee immediately started talking about a wedding and grandbabies. I wasn't sure how to handle that discussion but Edward surprised me when he jumped right in.

He was definitely already planning our future together.

Someone else who was planning a future was Jasper. After we shared our happy information with everyone, Jasper surprised everyone by dropping to one knee in front of Alice.

"I know we still have a year and half of school, but I want the world to know you're mine." He said as he opened the ring box. Rose and I both gasped at the sight of the beautiful 3-karat diamond. "Mary Alice Brandon, will you do me the greatest honor I could have and be my wife?"

"Yes!" She yelled as she bounced then lunged at him wrapping her arms around his neck and effectively making him fall onto his back. "I love you. I love you. I love you." She said as she kissed him.

Our Christmas with family just turned into a celebration. Carlisle even pulled out the champagne.

---

Edward and I were moved into the new house by the first of February. He bought an old Hollywood home off Mulholland Drive. It really was a perfect spot for me. It was only about 10 minutes from campus and 15 from the girls. It was perfect. The house itself was a modest white brick two story with five bedrooms and just about ever amenity you could want.

A week after we moved in, I started practices for softball since I had agreed to play my last season.

But it was hard to keep it all together. I really think if I didn't have Edward as close as I did I wouldn't be able to do it. I was taking six classes while keeping up my workout schedule and the practices. To say I was stressful was an understatement.

It all seemed worth it though when at the beginning of May I ended the semester with a 4.0 grade average. I got a two week break from classes before the first summer session started.

The end of May we wrapped up yet another perfect season and headed for the playoffs, winning the first game. The boys had made it to every game of the season and that streak continued into the playoff games.

When the final game of the championship series came around we were a shoe-in to win it. And we did. It was great to go out of softball with a championship again. I went out on a high and loved every minute of it. For the first time since making the decision to start one final season, I was glad I did it. Granted even if I hadn't started I still would have been part of the championship team again but it wouldn't have been the same if I was sitting on the bench.

After we showered and attended the press conference we met up with the guys in the hallway outside the press room…or at least that was the plan.

"Where's Edward?" I asked my excitement from winning suddenly gone.

"He was at the game but then got a call from Aro we think. He wasn't happy I know that much." Emmett said looking as irritated as I was mad.

"Oh."

"He said to tell you to go home and he'd be there soon. He's really sorry and wanted us to tell you congratulations." Jasper said.

"Yeah. Well um…I'll see ya all soon. I don't know when though since I'm still going crazy at school but maybe we can all plan to go out next weekend."

"Definitely babe. Call if you need us." Alice said.

"I'll kick his ass you know…"

"No there's no need for it. It's really good lately so I'm not mad, just sad he's not here to celebrate with us." I said then gave a smile.

"Okay hun." They said then the four of them left as I walked the other direction towards my car. I took my time driving back to the house, not wanting to get there just to be alone, but there's only so many ways to make a fifteen minute drive longer. Eventually pulling up into the driveway to a dark house.

"Great." I mumbled as I opened the drunk to get all of my equipment out. "I get to celebrate my evening alone." I continued as I opened the front door.

As soon as the front door swung open I saw two lit white candles sitting on the entry way table. In between them was a note with my name on it. Written in the perfect elegant script I would recognize anywhere. I opened it and read it smiling.

_My dearest Bella, you will find a chilled bottle of champagne in the kitchen,_

_please bring it and met me on the deck._

_Love your Edward_

I did as I was asked and sure enough there was a bottle of champagne in the kitchen. I didn't know what he was planning but I suddenly had a feeling I was under dressed. Something told me my yoga pants and tank top probably didn't coincide with champagne.

Out on the deck Edward was standing in workout pants and a t-shirt, but was surrounded by lit white candles and a table with dinner on it.

"What is this?" I laughed as I took in his attire. It was definitely not what I expected at all.

"I wanted to make us dinner and I knew you'd still be in your workout clothes so I dressed accordingly." He laughed as he pulled a chair out for me.

"Well thank you because I honestly thought about that when I got the champagne."

"I knew you would." He said as he poured us two glasses.

"So what's the reason behind this?" I asked as I sipped. He didn't answer me he just got down on one knee in front of me. My eyes bugged out of my head and tears started spilling down my cheeks.

"Isabella…I've made mistakes in our relationship and I know how lucky I am to have such an understanding and forgiving woman in my life. A woman I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with. I'm sure I'll screw up again, but I'm hoping you'll still be willing to spend your life with me, keeping me in check."

He stopped as he pulled a ring out of his pocket. I didn't even look at it. All I could see was the man kneeling in front of me with tears in his eyes.

"Bella…will you marry me?" he finally got out as he slipped the ring on my finger.

"Yes." I said as I kissed him lovingly.

* * *

**A/N: THE END! I know you're thinking what the hell kind of ending is that? It's the perfect ending. Trust me.**

**New story to be posted soon. I'm venturing into the supernatural with the next one. I'm not sure how that's going to work out so be kind to me. I 'm hoping to get the first chapter posted within the week. If you haven't already, add me as a favorite author so you can keep up with my story posts.**


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